Video: Demonstrators descended on Washington D.C., and other places across the United States on May 14, 2022, as the ongoing abortion rights debates continue to be galvanized. (Xinhua)
Demonstrators descended on Washington, D.C. and a number of other U.S. cities, including New York, Boston, Chicago, Madison, Austin, Los Angeles, and Seattle.
WASHINGTON, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Demonstrators descended on Washington, D.C., and other places across the United States on Saturday, as the ongoing abortion rights debates continue to be galvanized.
Thousands of reproductive rights advocates gathered on the lawn overlooked by the Washington Monument at the National Mal before marching to the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill in the afternoon.
According to the National Park Service's permit for the event at the U.S. capital, the organizers had estimated a crowd size of 17,000 people.
Similar events reportedly took place in a number of other U.S. cities, including New York, Boston, Chicago, Madison, Austin, Los Angeles, and Seattle.
Demonstrators attend a rally in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)
Outside the Supreme Court on Saturday afternoon, there was also a counter-protest led by anti-abortion activists. Police were trying to keep the opposing sides separated.
The demonstrations came nearly two weeks after a draft majority opinion was leaked from the U.S. Supreme Court, which indicates that it is leaning toward overturning Roe v. Wade, a landmark decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion in the United States, made by the U.S. high court in 1973.
"Roe was egregiously wrong from the start," conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the draft majority opinion, a copy of which was obtained and published by POLITICO.
"We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled," the conservative argued. "It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives."
Casey refers to a 1992 Supreme Court decision -- Planned Parenthood v Casey -- which largely upheld the women's abortion rights guaranteed under Roe v. Wade.
Demonstrators attend a rally in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)
A Democratic-led bill, the Women's Health Protection Act, intended to codify abortion rights in the United States failed to advance in the Senate earlier this week.
It had passed the House of Representatives controlled by Democrats, but was voted down 49-51 in the upper chamber on Wednesday.
All 50 Senate Republicans, along with one Democrat, opposed the measure, which requires at least 60 votes to move forward.
Senate Majority Leader and Democrat Chuck Schumer underlined the bill blocked by the Senate when attending a pro-abortion rights protest in New York City on Saturday.
"Americans won't forget who voted this week in the Senate to protect abortion rights," Schumer tweeted. "This vote was just one step -- we will keep fighting for women's rights."
Demonstrators attend a rally in downtown Los Angeles, California, the United States, on May 14, 2022. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)
Republicans have criticized the legislation, arguing that it went further than most Americans would want to go on abortion rights. They have also been critical of protests staged outside of several conservative Supreme Court justices' homes.
"Trying to scare federal judges into ruling a certain way is far outside the bounds of normal First Amendment speech or protest," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell tweeted earlier this week.
"It is an attempt to replace the rule of law with the rule of mobs," the Republican wrote. "It is unacceptable that Democrats cannot clearly denounce it."
The White House has recently stated demonstrations "should never include violence, threats, or vandalism."
Demonstrators attend a rally in downtown Los Angeles, California, the United States, on May 14, 2022. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)
The Supreme Court has acknowledged the authenticity of the leaked draft though it made clear that the document did not represent its final position.
The highest court in the U.S. federal judiciary is considering Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, an appeal case that involves a Mississippi law banning all abortions over 15 weeks gestational age except in certain circumstances. A ruling is expected by the end of the court's term this summer.
Justice Clarence Thomas said Friday that the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion has changed the institution and eroded trust.
The conservative justice called the leak "tremendously bad" while voicing concerns that it was undermining the Supreme Court.
Demonstrators march over the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, the United States, on May 14, 2022. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)
The Supreme Court is the final appellate court of the U.S. judicial system, with the power to review and overturn lower court decisions, and is also generally the final interpreter of federal law, including the nation's constitution. Conservatives now have a 6-3 majority over liberals on the bench.
Justices circulate draft opinions internally as a routine and essential part of the high court's confidential deliberative work.
Besides abortion rights, the Supreme Court will rule on cases involving other major issues, including affirmative action and guns in the coming weeks.
Several recent polls have shown that a majority of American voters support Roe v. Wade being upheld.
Democrats are trying to make abortion rights a big issue in this year's midterm elections. ■
