Protests broke out across the country on Friday after the Supreme Court decided to eliminate the federal constitutional right to an abortion. Advocates rallied in places such as Phoenix, where officers used tear gas to disperse a crowd of abortion-rights supporters, CNN reports. According to Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesperson Bart Graves, the protesters “repeatedly pounded on the glass doors of the State Senate Building” before they were dispersed.
Demonstrators also rallied outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. At the same sight, pro-abortion groups celebrated Friday’s ruling, holding signs with messages such as “Roe is dead” and “I am the post-Roe generation.” One man sprayed champagne as the group celebrated the ruling.
Protesters also gathered in states such as New York, where abortion rights are still protected. Julia Kaluta, who was among the protesters rallying in New York City’s Washington Square Park, said she is devastated by Friday’s news, which came on her 24th birthday.
“It’s like seeing the train coming toward you,” Kaluta told CNN. “And you finally get hit by it. And it still hurts more than you ever thought.”
According to the New York Police Department, at least 20 people in New York City were “taken into custody with charges pending” during Friday’s demonstrations. Police didn’t provide any further details on the arrests.
Mia Khatcherian, a New York resident, said she feels terrible for women outside of her home state who don’t have abortion rights.
“I want women in other states to see the swell of support — that the sheer number (of demonstrators) sends a message,” Khatcherian told CNN.
The 32-year-old is especially concerned for women of color, who she said are “going to bear the brunt of this decision.”
Following the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that protected the right to abortion for nearly 50 years, many states are expected to outlaw or severely restrict the option for women, as Blavity previously reported.