Anti-abortion march returns to Washington with new focus

FILE – The March for Life gathers outside the Supreme Court, Washington, Jan. 21, 2022. The annual march will take place on Friday, Jan. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — A year ago, the annual protest against legal abortion called the “March for Life” took place in Washington in an atmosphere of undisguised triumph. With a new conservative majority on the Supreme Court, thousands of protesters braved the bitter cold to celebrate the seemingly inevitable fall of the Roe v. Wade.

Now, with the constitutional right to abortion repealed, the march returns Friday with a new focus. Instead of concentrating their attention on the Supreme Court, the protesters plan to focus on the building across the street: the Capitol.

Movement leaders say their plan is to warn the legislature against trying to restrict the many anti-abortion laws passed in a dozen states.

“This year will be a somber reminder of the millions of lives lost to abortion in the last 50 years, but also a celebration of what we have achieved and where we, as a movement, need to direct our efforts in this new era of our struggle. to protect life,” Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life Education and Advocacy Fund, said in a statement.

Some movement leaders hope to plant the seeds in Congress for a possible federal ban on abortion.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the anti-abortion organization SBA Pro-Life America, said she envisions a “minimum federal standard” banning abortion after the 13th week of pregnancy in all states. Dannenfelser’s vision would allow individual states to impose even stricter measures, up to a complete ban.

It is recognized that the latter is more than difficult, since if it passes the House of Representatives of Republican majority, it would probably fail in the Senate, controlled by the Democrats.

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