Swift, Fiery Reaction On Display In Demonstrations, Global Attention
Protests erupted across the nation after the Supreme Court leak, including outside the court itself. The news also echoed around the world, spurring alarm and criticism. In Canada, the prime minister went as far as emphasizing the rights of Canadian woman to choose.
AP:
'Still In Shock.' Abortion Defenders, Foes Stunned By Leak
The owner of an Alabama clinic was flying home from a conference for abortion providers Monday night when a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion began ricocheting around the world. As Dalton Johnson read it, he was struck by the bluntness of the language that would end the constitutional right to an abortion, shuttering clinics in about half of American states, including his. “I’m still in shock,” Johnson said Tuesday. People on both sides of the abortion divide have been expecting the Supreme Court this summer to reverse the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. But many said the draft opinion was nevertheless stunning, forcing them to reckon with the reality the nation is likely to enter soon. (Santana, Wagster Pettus and Galofaro, 5/3)
The New York Times:
Abortion Rights Supporters Are Protesting In Cities Nationwide
Protesters across the country expressed their fury on Tuesday night about the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that strongly suggests Roe v. Wade will soon be overturned. Crowds marched and chanted in support of abortion rights in San Francisco and New York, in Chicago and Atlanta, in Houston and Salt Lake City. In Los Angeles, videos shared on social media showed some confrontations between police officers and demonstrators. Smaller protests took place in cities like Louisville, Ky., where a few dozen people held signs in front of the courthouse square. Jane Jones, 38, a public-school teacher, said she had become disillusioned with the Supreme Court and was angry about the apparent ruling. “Bodily autonomy is important to the sanctity of our democratic process,” she said. (Baker, Glorioso and Gaffney, 5/3)
The Hill:
Obamas Issue Strong Statement On Leaked Roe V. Wade Opinion
Former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama issued a strong statement criticizing the draft Supreme Court opinion knocking down the Roe v. Wade decision, saying it would limit U.S. freedoms just like other past actions by the court. “Today, millions of Americans woke up fearing that their essential freedoms under the Constitution were at risk,” the couple said in the joint statement on Tuesday. (Oshin, 5/3)
The 19th:
Tensions High Outside Of Supreme Court After Roe V. Wade Draft Opinion Leak
Two stark realities were represented outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday morning: Abortion advocates stood somberly holding signs, their chants overtaken by the shouts of an adjacent group of anti-abortion activists chanting plans to “dance on the grave” of Roe v. Wade. By Tuesday evening the dynamic had flipped: Most of the protesters outside of the Supreme Court were chanting in favor of Roe, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision granting a federal right to abortion. Hundreds of protesters rallied outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, after many abortion rights advocates and anti-abortion activists had already stayed past midnight the previous night. (Norwood and Rummler, 5/4)
KHN:
On The Steps Of The Supreme Court, Tears And Glee, Bitterness And Smiles
On Tuesday morning, emotions were raw on the sidewalks and street separating the U.S. Capitol and the Supreme Court building — a microcosm of the reactions rippling across the country after Politico published a news bombshell Monday night. The story detailed a leak of a majority draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito that suggested the high court was poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, the court case that guarantees the constitutional right to abortion. (Knight, 5/3)
AP:
LA Abortion Rights Protest Turns Violent
A Los Angeles protest over the leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion that would throw out Roe v. Wade briefly turned into a skirmish with police, who say one officer was injured. A citywide police tactical alert was declared after a Tuesday night confrontation near downtown’s Pershing Square. Authorities say about 250 people had been marching peacefully for abortion rights before the clash. LAPD Chief Michel Moore says some demonstrators threw rocks and bottles at officers. One officer was struck with a baton. There was no immediate word of any arrests and the crowd mostly dispersed after a large police presence was called in. (5/4)
International leaders reacted to the U.S. news —
The Hill:
UN Calls Reproductive Rights ‘Foundation’ Of Equality For Women And Girls
The United Nations (U.N.) secretary-general believes that women’s rights are “fundamental” to pursuing gender equality, according to a spokesman who was speaking about the U.N. chief’s response to the possible overturning of Roe v. Wade. When asked for a response to the news from the high court, Farhan Haq, a spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, refused to “speculate what will happen” in regard to the overturning of the landmark Supreme Court case. He did, however, say that the U.N. chief believes that sexual and reproductive health and rights are “foundational” to women’s equality and empowerment. (Beals, 5/3)
Axios:
World Leaders Express Alarm About Possible Roe V. Wade Overturn
World leaders are voicing their support for the right to an abortion after a draft of a Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade was leaked. The leak has rocked the United States, setting into motion an abortion fight that could define the midterms. Abortion would immediately become illegal in at least 13 states if Roe v. Wade was struck down, and more would likely follow. (Chen, 5/3)
New York Times:
In Europe, Possible Roe Reversal Elicits Concern And Criticism
On Tuesday, news that the US Supreme Court might overturn Roe v. Wade triggered criticism and concern across Europe, a continent that in recent decades has consistently moved toward freer access to abortion. A referendum in San Marino last year overwhelmingly supported the legalization of abortion. In Northern Ireland, it was legalized in 2019, and in Ireland in 2018. In recent months, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom have all taken steps to ease access to the procedure. Poland is the only country in Europe that has tightened abortion laws since 1994, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. (Bubola, 5/3)
Reuters:
Canada Leaders Affirm Right To Choose After Leak Of Draft U.S. Ruling Overturning Abortion Rights
Canada's Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister affirmed on Tuesday their support of women's right to choose after a leaked draft ruling suggests the U.S. Supreme Court is prepared to strike down a landmark decision legalizing abortion. The Bloc Quebecois, a federal political party, also moved a motion in Canada's Parliament Tuesday to recognize a woman's "free choice in the matter of abortion." (Mehler Paperny, 5/3)
AP:
As US Poised To Restrict Abortion, Other Nations Ease Access
As women in the United States find themselves on the verge of possibly losing the constitutional right to abortion, courts in many other parts of the world have been moving in the opposite direction. That includes in a number of traditionally conservative societies — such as recently in Colombia, where the Constitutional Court in February legalized the procedure until the 24th week of pregnancy, part of a broader trend seen in parts of heavily Catholic Latin America. It’s not yet clear what impact there will be outside the United States from the leaked draft opinion suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. (Suárez and Sherman, 5/4)
