Protests Continued In Maryland Saturday Over A SCOTUS Decision To Overturn Roe V. Wade

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Marylanders are protesting across the state over the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to end constitutional protections for abortion on Friday.

Even though abortion remains legal in Maryland, many people are outraged by the court's decision to end that right for women in other states and have come out to places like here Columbia Lakefront Stage to protest.

The message they brought with them on Saturday is "we won't go back." They want the U.S. Supreme Court to receive that message. 

Many people have been expressing their anger and distress after the court overturned Roe v. Wade, including some lawmakers.

"I'm not going to sugarcoat the realities, the grim realities that face us. The first of those is that this court's decision is probably going to stand for years to come," Rep. John Sarbanes told protestors on Saturday. "That's just the reality we have to contend with."

Also, the political landscape in Washington, D.C., will need to change for women to gain abortion rights, he said.

"The second reality is in order to get a new national standard that protects the principles of Roe v. Wade in place, we've got to change the composition of the chambers of the Senate and the House."

From Baltimore to Annapolis and in Frederick County, many supporters of abortion rights made it clear that they are angry and speaking out against the decision.

"It's a horrendous day," abortion rights supporter Georgia Pickard said.

Mayor Brandon Scott has made clear his opinion on the court's decision.

"Men shouldn't be telling women what to do with their bodies," he said." They're putting women at risk."

Scott said on Saturday that he was extremely disappointed about the stripping away of constitutional protections for abortion.

"This is something we cannot continue to try to have our country go back in time where they don't think that women and other folks should have the rights to decide what to do with their bodies," he said.

But some Marylanders did speak in favor of the court's decision like Baltimore Archbishop William Lori.

"I think it is good news for our nation," Lori said. "I think it is good news for the cause of life."

Abortion protections have been in place in Maryland since the 1990s but people demonstrated outside Baltimore's planned parenthood on Friday and called for them to end.

Most demonstrations across the state were in support of abortion rights though and many people said they want to make their voices heard and continue to fight for those rights.

"We got out as much as possible to protest and show elected officials and the Supreme Court that we will not go back," Pickard said.

In:
• Roe v. Wade
• Baltimore City