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Pro-abortion protesters staged a blockade of streets near the U.S. Supreme Court building on Monday in anticipation that the court would hand down opinions that morning.
“One case awaiting a decision is Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which deals with a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, posing a direct challenge to the viability standard set by Roe v. Wade. A leaked draft opinion dated February said the court was overturning Roe in its entirety, eliminating the court’s recognition of a constitutional right to abortion,” Fox News reported.
“On June 13, one of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision days, we plan to blockade the streets around the Supreme Court to rise up for the transformative change that our communities need,” the website for the group ShutDownDC, said. “Right now our political system is in crisis. Times of crisis can either be opportunities to break through the inertia and win transformational change or they can be opportunities for the establishment to further entrench the status quo.”
Pro-abortion protesters are heading towards the Supreme Court to “shut down” the streets nearby. pic.twitter.com/d0ry6EhVIA
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) June 13, 2022
Why does there need to be a police presence? Why is the fencing up? https://t.co/TGQdeLQHPV
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) June 13, 2022
Heavy police presence at #Scotus for expected protest. Big going-ons inside too: orders at 9:30; opinions at 10 pic.twitter.com/AWhMqnIVr3
— Mark Sherman (@shermancourt) June 13, 2022
Pro-abortion activists block streets near Supreme Court https://t.co/Jd64gtQoNG
— Carol RN *Miss Rush & the Gipper* 👩⚕️🌺🇺🇸 🇮🇱 (@pasqueflower19) June 13, 2022
#BREAKING
Pro-abortion activists shut down streets near #SupremeCourtA standoff between #WashingtonDC Police & pro-choice protesters is underway as Roe v. Wade ruling looms at the Supreme Court. A riot police line has been formed against protesters. #US pic.twitter.com/d0WfhUFa34
— 🌎 Sarwar 🌐 (@ferozwala) June 13, 2022
The Supreme Court issued several opinions on Monday, but not on the Dobbs case, which involves abortion.
The court is next scheduled to release opinions on Wednesday.
“The blockade continues a pattern of protest that has included demonstrations outside the justices’ homes. Federal law prohibits such actions if taken with the intent to influence a judge, but the Justice Department has yet to take action against these activities,” the Fox News report continued.
WATCH:
Last week,
On Wednesday, an armed California man was arrested near the home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
The Justice Department charged the man with attempting or threatening to kidnap or murder a US judge.
The man told law enforcement he had traveled from California to Maryland to kill “a specific United States Supreme Court Justice” because he was upset about abortion rights, an upcoming gun control case, and the school shooting last month in Texas.
The looming decision comes as Supreme Court officials ramp up their search for the source of the leaked draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade.
The nation’s highest court has taken a slew of actions since the leak, including requiring law clerks to provide cell phone records and sign affidavits.
The Supreme Court will soon deliver the official ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the highly anticipated abortion case that could overrule Roe v. Wade.
A draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito was leaked to Politico earlier this month and it set off a firestorm on social media.
“Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,” Alito writes.
“We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” he writes in the document. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”
“We, therefore, hold the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. Roe and Casey must be overruled, and the authority to regulate abortion must be returned to the people and their elected representatives,” Alito writes in the document, labeled the “Opinion of the Court.”
Soon after Alito’s draft majority opinion leaked, it’s assumed there were at least 5 votes in favor of overturning Roe v Wade, leaving state legislators to weigh their own abortion policies.
Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz also offered his opinion of who he believes the “leaker” could be.
