Women’s March abortion protest near White House pressures Biden to do more

Activists with the Women’s March rallied in Washington, D.C., on Saturday to “fight for abortion rights.” 

The demonstrators planned to take their cause to the White House following the Supreme Court’s divisive overturning of landmark Roe v. Wade abortion decision late last month. 

According to the organization’s website, this weekend’s protest – part of what has been coined the “summer of rage” – is aimed at pressuring the president and all elected leaders. 

“Our rights can’t wait! We’re putting our bodies on the line at the White House RIGHT NOW. Let’s show President Biden there are millions more who want him to declare a state of emergency and protect abortion access NOW,” it tweeted. 

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According to WTOP, and Women’s March Executive Director Rachel O’Leary Carmona led the crowd in a chant of “ungovernable.” 

O’Leary reportedly said she wants to push Biden’s authority “to the limit.” 

The more than 1,000 green-clad attendees plan to risk arrest during the mass action. Green is the color of the abortion rights movement. 

On Friday, President Biden signed an executive order that is intended to head off some potential penalties that women seeking abortion may face. 

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However, the order could not restore abortion access in states that have moved to outlaw the procedure.

Biden said it would require an act of Congress to restore nationwide access to a constitutional right to abortion, condemning the “extreme” Supreme Court majority that struck Roe down.

“The fastest way to restore Roe is to pass a national law,” he said. “The challenge is go out and vote. For God’s sake there is an election in November!”

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass.,,the Women’s March and others have called for the Biden administration to declare a national public health emergency.

“I welcome the President’s actions today and urge him to work with us to build on this progress by declaring a public health emergency to unlock critical flexibilities and resources to get patients the care they need now. Daily, I am hearing from patients, providers and advocates about the dire situation those seeking abortion care across the nation are in. Our work continues and I am not letting up,” Pressley wrote in a Friday statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.