“Bans off our Bodies” protest draws more than 1,000 in support of abortion rights

Mia Caldonetti, Reporter|May 25, 2022

A man sits with an “I stand with Planned Parenthood” sign in his hand. PA Governor Tom Wolf spoke to the crowd and offered his continued support of abortion rights and a woman’s right to choose. (Broadcaster/Mia Caldonetti)

More than 1,000 gathered at the Pennsylvania Capitol Building in Harrisburg on May 14, 2022 to protest the possible overturning of abortion rights.

Despite light drizzle, the protesters listened to speeches from Governor Tom Wolf and Rabbi Audrey Korotkin.  Also speaking were Tony Award winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, who is married to PA State Senator ​​Vincent Hughes.

The outcry was raised after a draft document was leaked to Politico from Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito that argued that Roe v. Wade should be overturned.

Josephine Kwiatkowski, of Pottsville, holds a sign reading “You trusted me with Nuclear Weapons, but not my own Uterus???” Kwiatkowski was a Captain in the US Army Ordinance Corps and worked with nuclear weapons. (Broadcaster/ Mia Caldonetti)

The 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade legalized abortion at the federal level.  13 states including Texas and Missouri have laws on the books or legislation in progress that would ban abortion completely at the state level should the leaked document become a Supreme Court decision, according to the New York Times.

Pennsylvania law, which would kick in should Roe v. Wade be overturned, would still allow abortion up to 24 weeks, according to Planned Parenthood, via the PA Abortion Control Act.  The Pennsylvania Abortion Control Act first went into effect in 1982 and has been revised several times since.