Johnstown rally backs abortion rights, 50 years after Roe ruling

Joshua Byers, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read
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Jan. 23—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Members of the Johnstown For Choice group rallied in support of abortion rights on Sunday outside Johnstown's Planned Parenthood location, one of many similar demonstrations held across the U.S.

The rallies were held on what would have been the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade ruling, handed down on Jan. 22, 1973, which guaranteed a legal right to abortion. The Supreme Court overturned that ruling in June, allowing some states to impose new restrictions on abortion.

"It's rough," said Kierson Daily, co-organizer of Johnstown for Choice. "We've been without Roe since June."

Daily and about a dozen other people lined both sides of Franklin Street outside Planned Parenthood, carrying signs with slogans such as "Reproductive rights are human rights," "Forced birth is violence" and "I am pro-mind your own business."

"Anybody who can get pregnant is affected" by the reversal of Roe v. Wade, Daily said.

Some signs on the roadside displayed quotes from a recent pro-democracy speech by U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., the House minority leader.

Megan Floyd said she joined the cause to "make a stand for women rights everywhere." She added that the matter is "near and dear" to her heart because she wants to raise public awareness about the need for reliable access to health care and related procedures for anyone.

Protester Larry Blalock said he thinks it's outrageous that women are legislatively required to remain pregnant in some states, and Daily added that she thinks it's ridiculous that doctors in states with strict abortion laws could be criminally charged for assisting patients.

Blalock also said that the Supreme Court decision affects low-income people, especially those who don't have the means to travel for health care.

"It's sad that my daughter will have less rights than I had," Marian Hockycko said.

The "Bigger than Roe" rally started at noon and ran until 2 p.m. The attendees listened to protest music, chanted phrases such as, "Not the church, not the state, people will decide their fate," and received honks from passing vehicles.