Southwest Florida candidate for Congress arrested in abortion ruling protest in Washington, DC
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A Southwest Florida candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives faces charges in a Thursday protest against the U.S. Supreme Court's decision overturning the landmark abortion rights case Roe v. Wade.
Cindy Banyai, 42, of Fort Myers, made the announcement on her candidate page. She is challenging the Republican winner of the August primary for who represents Florida's 19th Congressional District. The district includes Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples and Marco Island. Republican Byron Donalds won the 2020 race, beating Banyai.
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The Supreme Court ruled on June 24 that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion, overruling Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey. The ruling returns the authority to regulate abortion to individual states.
“It was really inspirational to join together with people from across the U.S. to raise our objection to the Supreme Court’s ruling on Dobbs that has stripped us of our right to body autonomy and medical privacy,” Banyai said about Thursday's protest.
“We know a majority of Americans believe people should have access to abortion care, but far-right extremists in our government and judiciary decided to put their views ahead of the American people’s.”
Banyai, who broke her leg and recently had surgery, says she chanted and sang with hundreds of other protesters who Capitol Police arrested.
The U.S. Capitol Police did not immediately respond to requests for confirmation of the arrest or any details.
Banyai has been at the forefront of local woman's marches highlighting equality in recent months, including the March for Women's Rights in Fort Myers.
Donalds faces a challenger, Jim Huff, in the August Republican primary. Banyai is unchallenged and will face the winner of the Republican primary and a write-in candidate, Patrick Post, in the November general election.
Banyai said on her website that she anticipated being held in jail overnight until she could pay her bond.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Cindy Banyai, running for US House seat, arrested in abortion protest
