Abortion leak ‘genuine but not final’ as protests sweep America

Protests have continued across the US with the ruling expected to be confirmed in the next two months
Police clashed with protesters in Los Angeles
AFP via Getty Images

The head of the US Supreme Court has confirmed as genuine a leaked document suggesting it will end the nationwide right to abortion — as angry protests about the potential reform continued.

Chief Justice John Roberts said the leak of the draft opinion, written by fellow justice Samuel Alito and apparently setting out the court’s decision to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade ruling in favour of a woman’s right to a termination, was a “betrayal” that would be investigated.

He said that its contents — which indicate that the right to determine the legality of abortion will be handed back to individual states — did not “represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case”. His attempts to reassure Americans that the fate of abortion rights has yet to be decided failed to prevent protests across the country.

Outside the Supreme Court in Washington, signs with the message “Justices get out of my vagina” and “legal abortion once and for all” were among those carried by chanting protesters as barriers were erected around the building.

In Los Angeles, police clashed with protesters and one officer pulled out his baton to push the crowd back.

There were also rallies in New York, Boston, Nashville, Dallas and New Orleans, and in San Francisco a man was arrested after climbing the Salesforce tower in what appeared to be an anti-abortion protest.

The political row over the potential change was stoked even further when Oklahoma’s governor signed into law a bill — modelled on one passed in Texas last year — that will allow any citizen to sue any person who helps in an abortion carried out once a foetus has reached six weeks. It is one of a host of “trigger laws” that have been passed or are expected to be passed by states to restrict or ban abortion if Roe v Wade is overturned by the Supreme Court.

US president Joe Biden said he would “be ready when any ruling is issued” to fight the “attack on abortion and reproductive rights”. He added: “It concerns me a great deal that we’re going to, after 50 years, decide a woman does not have a right to choose.” He promised to work to secure a pro-choice majority in Congress to reinstate the nationwide right to abortion.

Abortion provider Planned Parenthood has warned that 36 million women could lose the right to a termination in their state if the court’s decision is confirmed. The ruling is expected in late June or early July.

Opinion polls show a majority of Americans in favour of a woman’s right to abortion. A vocal lobby of Christian and conservative campaigners opposes it.

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