Hundreds of people wearing green—a color that has become a universal symbol of abortion rights—marched through the streets of Belmont Shore on Saturday with signs reading, “My body is not governing property,” and, “Shame on the U.S. Supreme Court.”
The march was organized by Abortion Safe House LBC, a coalition of volunteers with the goal of providing transportation, access to legal abortion services and safe shelter for pregnant people, and Rise 4 Abortion Rights Los Angeles, the Southern California chapter of an abortion rights coalition. The goal was to demand that the federal government make abortions legal nationwide after the U.S. Supreme Court decision last week to end the constitutional right to abortion.
“It’s the least we can do for the people who live in states where abortion is illegal,” one organizer said.
Victoria Egger, who helped organized the event, said that after serving six years in the United States military, she feels as if her body once again belongs to the government.
“I enlisted to ensure freedom, not have mine taken,” Egger said. “I feel gutted. … I feel betrayed by my own country.”
The crowd began near the Belmont Pool before making its way through Second Street, where the protesters were met with applause by business owners and bystanders as they marched through the streets.
What was a crowd of about 80 people at the Belmont Pool area at 11 a.m. has doubled as hundreds march down Belmont Shore right now to protest for abortion rights a week after the decision to overturn Roe. v Wade by SCOTUS. pic.twitter.com/TDERdRc4Oe
— Fernando Haro (@FernandoAHaro) July 2, 2022
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct a photo caption that misidentified the gender of a protester holding a sign reading, “Trans people have abortions too.” The person in the photo is nonbinary.
‘Sadness and disappointment’: Hundreds protest in Long Beach following Roe v. Wade decision