PanamaTimes

Thursday, Oct 17, 2024

President Biden criticises abortion protests at judges' houses

President Biden criticises abortion protests at judges' houses

US law enforcement agencies are beefing up security around Supreme Court justices after a leak suggested they may overturn legalised abortion.

The US Marshals Service said on Monday it was helping the agencies normally tasked with the judges' security.

Left-wing activists gathered at the homes of two conservative justices this weekend.

Another protest is planned on Monday night at Justice Samuel Alito's house in Alexandria, Virginia.

On Saturday night, a group of about 100 people marched from the home of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to Chief Justice John Roberts' house nearby in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Separately, an anti-abortion centre suffered an arson attack on Sunday.

On Monday night, the group Shut Down DC planned to march on Justice Alito's house for a candlelight vigil and to "hold a moment of silence for the rights we know are ours".

The White House said on Monday demonstrations should never include "violence, threats or vandalism".

"[President Biden] strongly believes in the constitutional right to protest," said a statement from his press secretary Jen Psaki.

"But that should never include violence, threats, or vandalism. Judges perform an incredibly important function in our society, and they must be able to do their jobs without concern for their personal safety."

On Monday, the US Marshals Service announced it was helping the police agencies normally tasked with the security of the Supreme Court's nine justices.

The US Marshals Service said the decision to back up the justices' security detail came "in response to increased security concerns stemming from the unauthorised release of the draft opinion".

Meanwhile, vandals set fire on Sunday morning to the headquarters of Wisconsin Family Action, an anti-abortion group, in what police called a targeted attack.

A message was spray-painted outside the building: "If abortions aren't safe then you aren't either." An unignited petrol bomb was also found at the scene.

A non-profit organisation in Texas that provides pregnant women with free health assistance and encourages them not to get abortions was also targeted by spray-paint over the weekend.

According to the Denton Record-Chronicle, the words "not a clinic" and "forced birth is murder" were daubed outside the entrance.

The message at Wisconsin Family Action's building in Madison


A draft opinion leaked last week suggests a majority of the Supreme Court would overturn US women's federally protected right to abortion.

Such a move would hand the issue of abortion rights over to individual US states, many of which are planning laws to ban the procedure.


The court's final ruling is expected in June.

The leaked document, penned by conservative Justice Alito, called the 1973 Roe v Wade decision - which legalised abortion across the US - "egregiously wrong from the start".

If Roe is overturned, a ban on almost all abortions would go into effect in 13 states straight away, with others expected to follow. Abortion would still be legal in around half of US states, it is forecast.

Lawmakers in New York announced new legislation to expand abortion access on Monday. Several other left-leaning states have taken similar actions.

New York also said it plans to offer funding to groups that help people travel to the state for abortions.

Both pro- and anti-abortion protesters have rallied at the steps of the Supreme Court in Washington DC since the leak.

In scenes reminiscent of the unrest following the attack at the US Capitol last year, 8ft high fencing has been erected around the building.

Thousands more Americans rallied in cities and communities over the Mother's Day weekend, from Chicago, Illinois, to Houston, Texas.

On Saturday 14 May, thousands are expected to gather in Washington for the return of the Women's March.

Similar "Bans Off Our Bodies" events organised by the Women's March and Planned Parenthood are being organised in other US cities, including Atlanta, New York and Austin.

Newsletter

Related Articles

PanamaTimes
0:00
0:00
Close
Meta Faces Legal Battle Over Teen Social Media Addiction
UK Government Proposes Weight-Loss Injections to Combat Obesity and Boost Employment
Russia's Call for a BRICS Financial System Alternative
Indigenous Groups in Brazil Protest Carbon Credit Deal
Tesla's Robotaxi Design Strikes Controversy
Boeing to Reduce Workforce by 10% Amid Financial Strain
Brazilian Man Arrested for Decades-long Abuse and Imprisonment of Family
Donald Trump Amplifies Anti-Migrant Sentiments in Colorado Speech
Mass Looting of Chicago Cargo Train: 50 to 150 Looters Ransack Containers in Chaotic Scene
The Impact of Online Culture on Young Women: Survey Insights
Hypersonic Jet to Revolutionize Air Travel
Facilitated Communication: Miracle Tool or Manipulative Method?
US Election 2024: A Deadlock Between Trump and Harris
Dominica Sells Citizenship to Boost Climate Resilience
Elon Musk's X Faces Fines and Account Error in Brazil
Scott Jennings leaves CNN panel speechless as he tears apart Tim Walz's flimsy excuse of being "too dumb to tell the truth."
Earth Faces Severe Geomagnetic Storm from Solar Flare
China-Led Bloc Challenges The Quad in Indo-Pacific Region
Biden-Harris sent forklifts to open the border when Texas built a razor wall.
Storm Helene Devastates Eastern and Midwestern US, Claims 44 Lives
Trump Taps Elon Musk to Lead Federal Spending Cuts, Promising Trillions in Savings
Importing voters: With an election looming, the U.S. is approving citizenship applications at the fastest speed in years.
Hurricane Helene Set to Slam Florida with 'Unsurvivable' Conditions
El Salvadoran President Bukele at the UN: "Some complain that we put thousands in prison. In reality, we set millions free."
Google Commits 120 Million Dollars for Global AI Education: Sundar Pichai
Tennessee Woman Sentenced for Attempted Murder-For-Hire
Amazon Rainforest Suffers Massive Deforestation
Earth's Planetary Boundaries Breached
Elon Musk’s X Circumvents Brazil’s Supreme Court Block
Brazilian Judge Accuses Elon Musk’s X of Circumventing Court-Ordered Ban
Venezuelan Opposition Leader Coerced into Recognizing Maduro's Victory
Brazil's Firefighters Battle Amazon Blazes and Arsonists
X Social Media Platform Ordered Offline Again in Brazil
Global Workdays Required to Afford iPhone 16
In his podcast, Joe Rogan rightly questioned, "YOU NEED A VACCINE PASSPORT FOR FOOD, BUT VOTER ID IS ‘RACIST'?!"
Trump Unveils New Cryptocurrency Venture Amidst Campaign
X Update Enables App to Bypass Brazil Ban, Say Internet Providers
Delta Airlines Sets Strict Wardrobe Guidelines for Flight Attendants
Norway Achieves Milestone in Electric Vehicle Adoption
Hezbollah Hit by Explosive Pagers in Lebanon
Ex-Soldier Describes Trump Assassination Suspect's Troubled Ukraine Stint
Ghislaine Maxwell's Sex-Trafficking Conviction Upheld by Appeals Court
El Salvador's Bold Move: President Bukele Declares End to External Debt Reliance, Thanks to Bitcoin
Murdoch Family Succession Battle Begins
TikTok Faces Potential Ban in the US Amid Free Speech Concerns
Secret Service Investigates Elon Musk's Controversial Social Media Post
Meta Bans Russian State Media Networks
Impact and Aftermath of 9/11 Attacks on the US and the World
Internet Surpasses TV as UK's Leading News Source
Significant Corruption Concerns in Covid Contracts
×