A few dozen impassioned protesters took to the grounds of the legislative building Tuesday afternoon in Regina, standing in solidarity with individuals in the U.S. who recently had their rights to abortion stripped away by the Supreme Court.
The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday, which had guaranteed the right to abortion for more than 50 years.
The rally in Regina began at Victoria Park and the demonstrators made their way over to Wascana Park.
Rally organizer Aries Gajari explained why she felt compelled to put the event together.
“I feel like I’ve been stressed, upset because it’s been years and years of fighting for these rights and then to have them stripped away from you like that … not us in Canada but in the States, and I have friends there who are concerned about what’s going to happen to them.”
Although abortion was decriminalized in Canada in 1988 and remains available under the Canada Health Act, Gajari says there are concerns in Saskatchewan about access to abortion.
“Saskatoon and Regina are the only cities where you can have abortions and access is already very limited,” Gajari said.
Surgical abortions are available up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy in Saskatoon and up to 19 weeks in Regina.
People of all ages, sexes and backgrounds are taking a stand in what they say is a massive step backwards for women’s rights, trans rights and the rights of women of colour after the U.S. Supreme Court decision.
Protesters are voicing their concerns about female autonomy being regulated by others, who they say have no business in doing so.
— with files from Global News’ Teagan Rasche and Sean Boynton
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