Abortion rights rally kicks off Planned Parenthood bus tour at Sacramento state Capitol

On the heels of a stunning revelation this month that the Supreme Court may overturn abortion rights, several hundred supporters marched at the California state Capitol on Saturday to kick off a statewide “Powered by Pink” bus tour.

The Planned Parenthood National Day of Action “Bans Off Our Bodies” rally in Sacramento was one of nearly 400 rallies planned across California and the U.S. sparked by the Supreme Court’s leaked draft ruling threatening Roe v. Wade.

The largest gatherings were expected in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and in Washington, D.C., where protesters marched from the Washington Monument to the Supreme Court.

Democrats across the country have reacted with fury to a leaked draft of the Supreme Court’s vote to overturn the landmark 1973 decision that federally protected abortions. About half the country’s states have indicated they would fully ban the practice if the decision were to become formal.

Lawmakers in California, meanwhile, are working to cement the state’s “abortion sanctuary” status, with Gov. Gavin Newsom backing legislation to subsidize abortions for women who can’t afford them.

In downtown Sacramento, Pam Hooley joined the march in support of legal abortions.

“’Abortion’ should not be a dirty word. I used to work in the medical field; I used to work in the legal field. This is not something that anybody but the woman and her doctor should decide on,” Hooley said.

Max Bruins joined the rally and said that the possible overturning Roe is “more than just a female issue.“ He said that overturning the abortion law opens the door for gay and interracial marriage to be stripped.

“Abortion is a human issue. Fighting for women — you’re fighting for people. Women are people too,” Bruins said.

Those who opposed abortion, standing across the street from the rally, spoke over a megaphone and held signs reading “Newsom is a mass murderer, vote him out” and “murder is not a human right.”

“I’m quite sure that very many of them think that they are doing the right thing, but I would urge them to ... please critically evaluate your actions and think about if what you’re doing is truly the kindest thing,” supporter Kevin Branson said.

Karen Soreillo sat beneath a tree to get shade from the mid-day sun and watch the rally.

She said that she came to the rally because she thinks that women should have the freedom of choice.

“If people don’t approve of abortion, they can not have one — that’s a choice,” Soreillo said.

Planned Parenthood’s bus tour, which started in Sacramento on Saturday afternoon, will end in Long Beach with an event in partnership with the California Democratic Party on May 25.

The tour is centered on protesting the likely action by the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority and is expected to issue its final opinion as early as June.

Jodi Hicks, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, said that this is a moment of crisis.

“Californians are looking for ways to take action and the National Day of Action and bus tour will present people with the opportunity to learn what is happening, how California is leading and what they can do to make sure California continues to protect and expand abortion rights and access,” Hicks said. “We are taking to the streets, then taking to the road.”

Political experts believe the leaked ruling could trigger a blue wave in California and other states in the midterm elections with Democrats at risk of losing their control of Congress.

“There’s definitely some galvanization around the issue politically — people seem very fired up,” said Ivy Cargile, a political science professor at Cal State Bakersfield, noting that large rallies around abortion rights had begun taking place even in the more conservative Central Valley. “Maybe now more people are going to pay attention to politics and will come out to vote.’”

This story was originally published May 14, 2022 at 2:39 PM.