Organizers Plan Foley Square Protest on Abortion Rights – NBC4 New York

Grassroots organizers plan a large rally Tuesday in Manhattan’s Foley Square in support of abortion rights following a report by the Politico publication on a draft opinion that the US Supreme Court could reverse Roe v. Wade this summer. This 1973 case legalized abortion throughout the country

The US Supreme Court issued a statement confirming the leak that same day and noted that Chief Justice John Roberts had ordered the bailiff of the court to conduct a full investigation into the source of it. He also condemned the breach.

“To the extent that this betrayal of the Court’s confidences was intended to undermine the integrity of our operations, it will not succeed,” Roberts’ statement said. “The work of the Court will not be affected in any way. We at the Court are fortunate to have a workforce, both permanent employees and paralegals, intensely loyal to the institution and dedicated to the rule of law.”

“Court employees have an exemplary and important tradition of respecting the confidentiality of the judicial process and upholding the trust of the Court,” Roberts continued. “This was a singular and egregious violation of that trust which is an affront to the Court and to the community of public servants who work here. I have ordered the court bailiff to launch an investigation into the source of the leak.”

some states, including new york, have already enacted laws specifically legalizing abortion regardless of Roe, and those laws can be upheld regardless of the ruling. Still, New Yorkers outraged by the reported leak want their voices to be heard.

Defenders of his cause do too. Hillary Clinton tweeted an image with the details of the planned Foley Square protest, urging anyone in the area at the time to attend the event. “Channel Your Rage Into Action” it starts at 5:00 pm at Foley Square, which is also known as Federal Plaza and is surrounded by several key civic buildings.

The square has been a key rallying point for a number of contentious issues in recent years, from protests over the city’s COVID vaccine mandate to the death of George Floyd and Occupy Wall Street, among other issues that divided nationally.

Tuesday’s event follows an unprecedented leak to Politico indicating that the draft opinion (written by New Jersey Judge Samuel Alito) following oral arguments last December had the backing of five justices to completely overturn Roe. vs. Wade.

Assuming the draft is real, it has not yet been formally issued and is not yet the law of the land. The Supreme Court declined to comment to our sister network NBC News on the report, and NBC News did not obtain or confirm the draft. It is also possible that the final vote and decision of the judges will change before the ruling is issued this summer.

President Joe Biden issued a statement about the leaked report on Tuesday. Read that here and learn more about the impact potential in New York here.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, 16 states and the District of Columbia have laws that explicitly protect the right to abortion to varying degrees.

In 2019, New York’s pro-reproductive rights legislature passed the Reproductive Health Act, codifying the protections of Roe v. Wade in the state constitution.

The RHA preserves abortion rights in New York, despite federal or court efforts to dismantle Roe v. Wade reiterated Planned Parenthood of Greater New York in a statement Tuesday denouncing the leaked draft opinion.

“This is not simply a draft of a devastating and politically motivated Supreme Court opinion, it is a roadmap to dismantle our fundamental right to safe and legal abortion, a right codified ALMOST FIFTY YEARS AGO,” said Acting President and CEO group executive, Joy Calloway.

“Let’s be clear: abortion is still legal,” he added. “As of today, it is still your constitutional right. And thanks to reproductive rights advocates in New York, abortion will remain safe and legal in this great state, regardless of what happens in the Supreme Court. Abortion is medical care Medical care occurs in Planned Greater New York Parenthood“.

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