As rush-hour motorists trickled onto the streets of Norwalk, several dozen people gathered in front of the courthouse in support of abortion rights.
Nora Niedzielski-Eichner helped organize the event in less than 24 hours. She's a council member and mother of a 4-year-old, who she says is her motivation.
“I am horrified to see the law going in the wrong direction,” Niedzielski-Eichner said. “I am horrified seeing people take away rights that people have come to count on. I am horrified to see bogus argument[s] being made that undercut people’s future and quite frankly will kill people.”
Across Connecticut Tuesday, people in support of abortion rights showed up at rallies, from Hartford to New Haven to Stamford. That’s in response to a leaked draft opinion that suggested the U.S. Supreme Court might be planning to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.
The Norwalk crowd was filled with men and women, young and old from various backgrounds – all recounting how they found out about the leaked draft.
If the Supreme Court were to overturn Roe v. Wade, abortion would remain legal in Connecticut. But it’s estimated the procedure would be banned in 20 states.
Overturning Roe v. Wade would be worrisome not only for abortion rights, but also for other rights that could be at risk, said Edson Rivas, executive director of the Triangle Community Center, which serves the LGBTQ population.
“It set a very slippery slope for other rights of the LGBTQ community, particularly gay marriage and also the right to affirming care, particularly for youth that are trans and binary,” Rivas said.
