In a rousing and fiery speech to pro-abortion protesters in front of the Supreme Court on Tuesday, longtime reproductive rights advocate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) denounced the “extremist” Supreme Court for its potential decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and vowed to fight against it.
“I am angry,” she said, forcefully. “I am angry because an extremist United States Supreme Court thinks that they can impose their extremist views on all of the [people] of this country and they are wrong. I am angry because we have reached the culmination of what Republicans have been fighting for, angling for, for decades now.”
Warren further emphasized that the people who will be most affected by widespread abortion bans are poor and working class members of the public.
“I am angry because of who will pay the price for this. It will not be wealthy [pregnant people],” she said. “Wealthy [pregnant people] can get on an airplane. They can fly to another state. They can fly to another country. They can get the protection they need.”
“This will fall on the poorest [people] in our country,” she continued. “This will fall on the young [people] who have been abused, who are victims of incest. This will fall on those who have been raped. This will fall on [parents] who are already struggling to work three jobs to be able to support the children they have.”
I am angry because an extremist Supreme Court thinks they can impose their extremist views on all of the women of this country and they are wrong.
I have seen the world where abortion is illegal. We’re not going back—not now, not ever. pic.twitter.com/5lE8rCQz5U
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) May 3, 2022
Warren’s speech was met with cheers from protesters in front of the Supreme Court on Monday. Protesters gathered after a leaked draft opinion obtained by Politico and written by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito showed that the Court has the votes to overturn Roe, which protects the right to an abortion in the U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the legitimacy of the draft on Tuesday morning.
If Roe is overturned, 13 states would automatically ban abortion thanks to so-called “trigger laws” that have previously passed in the states. A number of other states have passed decrees saying that they either plan on restricting abortion if Roe is overturned or saying that their state constitutions don’t secure the right to an abortion. This brings the total number of states that would likely ban abortion to about 24 if the Supreme Court decision comes down against Roe.
Though a source told Politico that at least five conservative justices will vote to overturn Roe, the draft isn’t final, and abortion rights activists are calling for mass uprisings in hopes of stopping the decision from being officially finalized.
An extremist Supreme Court is poised to overturn #RoeVWade and impose its far-right, unpopular views on the entire country. It’s time for the millions who support the Constitution and abortion rights to stand up and make their voices heard. We’re not going back—not ever.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) May 3, 2022
Warren, whose presidential platform in 2020 included a slate of aggressive pro-abortion actions, vowed to fight the decision. In an interview after her speech, Warren pointed out that Republicans have been “plotting” and packing the court for decades in order to work toward allowing states to ban abortions – despite the fact that the vast majority of the public doesn’t want Roe to be overturned.
“I am here because I am angry and I am here because the United States Congress can change all of this,” Warren concluded, to cheers from the crowd. “Angry, but committed.”
“Understand this, understand this: I have seen the world where abortion is illegal. And we are not going back. Not ever. So say it with me,” she said, her voice crackling with emotion, instructing the crowd to repeat after her. “We are not going back. Not ever. Not ever. Not ever. Never!”
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