Abortion-rights demonstration held in Las Cruces following Supreme Court opinion leak

Editor's note: The headline to this story was changed to "abortion-rights," which is Associated Press style.

LAS CRUCES - Coinciding with planned demonstrations statewide and nationwide, dozens turned out to Albert Johnson Park near City Hall Tuesday evening to express their anger over the Supreme Court's impending decision to strike down Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling which ensured broad abortion access for Americans.

The rally, organized by numerous groups including Bold Futures NM, Planned Parenthood and ProgressNow New Mexico, featured speakers from advocacy groups as well as elected leaders in city and state government. Protesters then took signs and stood at the intersection of Picacho Avenue and Main Street, where drivers honked their horns as they passed.

"We are disgusted. We are frustrated. We are heartbroken," Democratic State Sen. Carrie Hamblen said to attendees. "You name it. I think all of us can admit that we have gone through every single emotion in the last 24 hours."

Late Monday, Politico reported on a rare leaked draft majority opinion which showed the United States Supreme Court would soon strike down Roe. On Tuesday, Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the draft's authenticity, though the court said the draft doesn't represent its final view. Roberts announced an investigation to uncover the leaker.

More: What happens if Roe v. Wade is overturned? What we know about Supreme Court's leaked draft

Las Cruces resident Kim Sorensen, touting a sign which stated "We Will Not Go Back," said she was shocked, sad and angry when she heard the news. She said the original ruling happened near the end of her time in high school, and she said a lot of people in her hometown had gotten pregnant and didn't have access to safe abortions.

"We're not going to end abortion," Sorensen said. "We're going to end access to safe abortions if this passes."

Demonstrators young and old showed up to show support for abortion access.

Siblings Jay and Phaedra Nelson, 13 and 16, said as LGBT youth they were troubled by the news. They attended the protest with their mom.

"I was really worried because this has the potential to take away my rights as an LGBT person," Phaedra said. "It takes away our reproductive healthcare, so I'm really concerned for what this will mean for us as LGBT youth."

Some have said they fear the Supreme Court's ruling could imperil the rights of LGBT Americans, rights which have come through high court decisions.

Marshall Martinez, executive director of the LGBT advocacy and civil rights organization Equality New Mexico, said this is "absolutely" the LGBT community's fight, too.

Opinion: Overturning Roe would also devastate LGBTQIA+ community

"It helps … to be together and deal with the anger and the pain," Hailey Walker said holding a sign which said "Leave Women Alone." Walker said she drove to Las Cruces from Silver City after hearing the news. "I just had to be around people," she said.

In Las Cruces, the city council could act using its limited power in response to the SCOTUS ruling. District 4 Councilor Johana Bencomo told protesters she would like to pass an ordinance which would more heavily regulate the city's crisis pregnancy centers, organizations which attempt to sway women against having abortions.

Bencomo called the information these centers provide misleading, "manipulative and disgraceful" and would hope to pass an ordinance to require more transparency about their services.

The latest from USA TODAY: Live updates on aftermath of Supreme Court's draft opinion being leaked

Michael McDevitt is a city and county government reporter for the Sun-News. He can be reached at 575-202-3205, mmcdevitt@lcsun-news.com or @MikeMcDTweets on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Abortion-rights demonstration held in Las Cruces