AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austinites are protesting in downtown Austin Tuesday evening for the right to safe abortion access. This comes after news outlet Politico published a leaked draft majority opinion showing the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade on Monday night.
While Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the authenticity of the opinion written in February by Justice Samuel Alito, he said the draft doesn’t represent a final decision of the court. That could come within the next two months.
Protesters flocked to the Supreme Court in Washington overnight after Politico’s report came out. Now, protesters in Austin and across Texas are gathering Tuesday evening.
Progress Texas called on Texans to protest SCOTUS’ pending decision in Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson. The group said it wants “to give Texans an outlet as they experience a range of emotions in response to this unprecedented rollback of fundamental rights.”
Progress Texas’ rally was set for 5 p.m. at Federal Court Plaza, which is next to Republic Square Park. Lilith Fund, Planned Parenthood Greater Texas and ACLU of Texas were just a few groups who attended.
Progress Texas also set up additional rallies at the federal courthouses in Houston, Dallas and San Antonio Tuesday evening:
- Houston: 5 p.m. at Tranquility Park, 400 Rusk St.
- Dallas: 6 p.m. at Earle Cabell Federal Building, 1100 Commerce St.
- San Antonio: 6 p.m. at Federal Courthouse Santa Rosa and Nueva
At the Texas State Capitol in Austin, people also gathered for a “Protect Abortion Access Rally” that was organized by Rainbow Coalition Austin, according to a flyer.
NBC News reported “several hundred people” gathered there, and protesters marched down Congress Avenue and chanted.
KXAN reached out to Austin Police to learn if any arrests were made at the protests; the department said no arrests were made.