Women's March rallies in DC calling for protection of abortion rights

Abortion supporters rally outside of White House

Women's March organizers rallied in D.C. on Saturday in an effort to pressure the Biden's Administration into taking action to protect abortion.

WASHINGTON - Women's March organizers rallied in D.C. on Saturday in an effort to pressure the Biden's Administration into taking action to protect abortion.

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The rally comes in the wake of the Supreme Court's June 24 decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

According to a press release from organizers, the event began at 10:00 a.m. in Franklin Square Park, just blocks away from the White House.

The event kicked off with a direct action training before the group marched to the White House where they conducted a sit-in.

The press release states that "Women’s March members and protestors will risk arrest to get our message over to President Biden: protect abortion."

According to a sign-up sheet on the Women's March website, the group required attendees of the rally to be 18 years of age and older. The sign-up form also asked attendees to indicate whether they were willing to risk arrest at the event.

Women's March to rally for abortion rights in DC Saturday

FOX 5's Nana-Séntuo Bonsu spoke with a leader from Women's March about their goals for the abortion rights rally planned to happen in D.C. on Saturday.

Event organizers told FOX 5 on Friday that they expected at least 5,000 people to attend the rally.

Here is the full list of speakers who spoke at the rally:

Rachel O’Leary Carmona, Women’s March Executive Director
Tamika Middleton, Women’s March Managing Director
Hope Khodaei
Kiki Green
Paris Hatcher
Elidia Caballero
Sophia Armen
Shaunna Thomas

In their call to action, Women's March Executive Director Rachel O’Leary Carmona said the goal of Saturday's march is to send a message to the Biden Administration.

"Fight to protect the women that brought you to power or step aside and elect someone who will. It’s as simple as that. You have the power to declare a public health emergency on abortion, codify reproductive rights through executive action, and expand the court. Be our champion and use that power."

Following Friday's news that President Biden signed an executive order aimed at protecting abortion rights FOX 5 spoke with Carmona who called the move a step forward, but added that more needs to be done.

Pres. Biden signs order on protecting abortion access

President Joe Biden signed an executive order Friday to protect access to abortion as he faced mounting pressure from fellow Democrats to be more forceful on the subject after the Supreme Court ended a constitutional right to the procedure two weeks ago.

"We think that there are many more steps that are necessary for him [Biden] to step into the role of champion and meeting the moment. We know that the GOP has stopped at nothing and has had a laser focus on creating the conditions to make this possible. We know that they have their eyes on a national ban, we need President Biden to be a leader and a champion and to protect folks and everyday women who need abortions across the country in these really scary times," Carmona tells FOX 5.

The last time the Women's March helped organize a March in D.C. was May 14, for the "Bans Off Our Bodies" rally in support of abortion access and reproductive freedom. That rally, which drew thousands of people to D.C., was planned in response to the Supreme Court's leaked draft opinion on abortion rights.

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Over a dozen states have "trigger bans" to criminalize abortion now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade. Legal analyst Dr. Tracy Pearson helps put it all into context.

The group also helped organize a march in D.C. in 2020 and in 2017 on the day of former President Donald Trump's inauguration.

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