NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Thousands in New York City and New Jersey took to the streets in support of women’s reproductive rights with hundreds of similar rallies taking place across the country.
The "Rally for Abortion Justice" marches are in protest of Texas’ new, extremely restrictive anti-abortion laws that ban abortions after six weeks without any exceptions for rape or incest.
“I can’t believe I still have to protest this crap!’ Shouted NJ Gov. Phil Murphy at a rally in Montclair. “I’m completely with you. How many times do we have to see this movie?”
The largest of the scheduled rallies was the fifth annual Women’s March in Washington, DC — the first such march under President Biden’s administration.
“Abortion care is safe; abortion care is essential; abortion care is normal,” Dr. Jamila Perritt, of Physicians for Reproductive Health, said in DCl. “Abortion care is necessary; abortion care is an act of love.”
In Montclair, ralliers chanted “my body, my choice” as they held signs with feminist messaging.
“Texas is what galvanized me — and how horrible it is,” Lisa Westreich, a rallier in Montclair told 1010 WINS.
“It frightens me terribly and I just felt I had to do something,” she added, noting that she was marching with her daughter and other young women in mind.
Another protester, Nancy Friedman, was worried about the attack on Roe Vs. Wade from across the country. The Supreme Court begins its session next week and an abortion rights case will be among those under consideration.
“Things feel a little shakier with three [Former Pressident] Trump appointees on the Supreme Court — things feel really perilous and it’s really important to stay vigilant,” Friedman said. “I think people are really scared that we’re moving backwards instead of forward and can’t believe we are where we are, actually.”
