Several states are enacting sweeping bans just hours after the Supreme Court overturned statewide abortion laws. In many cities people are protesting against this “war on women”. Companies like Facebook and Starbucks want to financially support female employees who have abortions in the future.
After the abortion ruling by the Supreme Court, there were again numerous protests in the USA. Thousands of people once again gathered around the Supreme Court in Washington, holding signs reading “War on women, who’s next?” had with them. “What happened yesterday is indescribable and disgusting,” said 19-year-old protester Mia Stagner. “No woman should be forced to become a mother.”
In Los Angeles, two demonstrations went to City Hall and the Federal Courthouse. Demonstrations took place in cities across the country.
On Friday, the Supreme Court overturned the landmark judgment that had been in force nationwide since 1973 and that had made history with the designation “Roe v. Wade”. This means that the individual states are now free to allow, restrict or ban abortion altogether. At least eight conservative-governed states immediately imposed abortion bans.
Supporters and opponents of the US Supreme Court’s decision took to the streets across the country on Friday. The demonstrations were largely uneventful. In Phoenix, Arizona, the police used tear gas, in Los Angeles police officers broke up a demonstration with batons. In the town of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a pickup truck drove through a group of protesters and ran over a woman’s foot.
In view of the abortion bans in a growing number of US states, several large American companies are now offering their female employees the option of paying any travel expenses for a visit to another state in the event of an abortion. A number of corporations such as the café chain Starbucks or the online retail giant Amazon had previously promised such regulations in view of the impending decision of the US Supreme Court. After the Supreme Court actually overturned the liberal abortion law in the country on Friday, various other companies announced corresponding steps. These include entertainment giant Walt Disney and Facebook group Meta.
In an article on the online portal Linkedin, the outdoor specialist Patagonia not only promised support for travel expenses to other US states. The company also pledged to cover possible bail costs for employees who were arrested and peacefully demonstrating for “reproductive justice.”
