Demonstrator who scaled Frederick Douglass Bridge after Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade comes down
WASHINGTON - A demonstrator scaled the Frederick Douglass Bridge in Washington, D.C. Friday morning following the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
Guido Reichstadter, a Florida native, climbed the bridge around 11 a.m. with a flag and a large green banner. Traffic on the bridge came to a halt as police attempted to reach out to the man.
During an interview with FOX 5 from atop the bridge, Reichstadter said that he was ready to stay put for several days.
"It's wonderful to be up here … I don't mind spending the night up here," he said. "I don't mind staying up here day after day. The first thing I did when I opened up my pack my water bottle rolled out the pack down the bridge, so I haven't had any water up here, but I can probably hold out a day or two or three without water."
The father of two said that he believes there's a hatch that he thinks leads to a tunnel inside the bridge where he can walk down a set of stairs when he's ready to vacate his spot on top of the bridge.
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Images show Reichstadter using his phone while on the bridge. Reports say the demonstrator has posted to social media multiple times since climbing the structure.
Police maneuvered a large inflatable under him around 12 p.m.
On Friday, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) released the following statement: "The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announces that the Frederick Douglas Memorial Bridge (FDMB) is currently shut down.The closure is needed for safety concerns involved with protest activity and will remain in effect until further notice."
The Supreme Court has ended constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place for nearly 50 years in a decision by its conservative majority to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Friday's outcome is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states.
Reichstadter continued posting on social media into the day on Saturday. As of Saturday afternoon, Reichstadter was taken into custody by the Metropolitan Police and they reported that traffic on the bridge was re-opened.