Over 1,000 gather in Richmond to oppose abortion bills

More than 1,000 people rallied at Virginia Capitol on Thursday, protesting legislation vancing in Democratic-controlled General Assembly that would ease restrictions on abortion access.

Speakers urged crowd that gared in a stey rain to pressure lawmakers to vote against bills that y say would undo regulations that protect pregnant women. y encourd attendees to join anti-abortion vocacy groups to push back against Democrats who retook control of General Assembly in vember, and y vowed to unseat members of new majority.

“Virginia has taken a wrong left turn. But we’re here today to let all inside this Capitol kw that we will never rest and we will never relent in our commitment to putting this Commonwealth back on right course,” said Republican Del. Kathy Byron.

Both House and Senate have passed bills to undo restrictions on abortion access that were enacted when legislature was under GOP control, including a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion and a requirement that women seeking an abortion undergo an ultrasound and counseling.

bills, which Democratic Gov. Ralph rtham supports, would also roll back requirement that an abortion be provided by a physician and undo strict building code requirements on facilities where abortions are performed. Each chamber must pass or’s before y could be sent to rtham for his signature.

Abortion-rights vocates say restrictions injected politics into a health care decision and me obtaining an abortion overly burdensome.

“Medical decisions should be between a woman and her health care providers. Medical professionals kw proper protocol for each individual patient, t politicians,” said House Democratic Majority Leer Charniele Herring, who is sponsoring that chamber’s bill.

Democrats have also defeated some Republican-sponsored bills this session that would have enacted abortion restrictions.

Abortion opponents say existing restrictions protect pregnant women’s health and safety and are prudent, given gravity of decision to obtain an abortion.

Attendee Patty Raehn, from Colonial Beach, said issue became critically important to her when she became pregnant at a young and was encourd to have an abortion. She said she went on to give birth to a son, w 27, whom she called her “saving grace.”

Raehn said she opposes Democrats’ legislation and that abortion is her . 1 issue when deciding how to vote.

“I will t look at or issues. If you don’t stand for life, I can’t vote for you,” she said.

Speakers at rally included leers of conservative and anti-abortion vocacy groups, including March for Life President Jeanne Mancini, and women who said y h obtained abortions y later regretted.

After rally concluded, attendees marched through downtown streets. Some carried signs that said “unborn lives matter” and “abortion is murder.”

Capitol police spokesman Joe Macenka said crowd numbered over 1,000, though he said department could t provide an exact count.

Im Source: AP