MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Abortion rights advocates hosted a series of rallies nationwide to protest recently passed anti-abortion laws.
“Stop the Ban” rallies happened in nearly all 50 states on Tuesday, including South Carolina and here on the Grand Strand.
One of those rallies happened at the Market Common in Myrtle Beach. Pro-choice advocates called it a day of action aimed at protecting women’s reproductive rights.
Supporters of the abortion bans hope one challenge will make it to the U.S. Supreme Court and potentially overturn the 1973 “Roe versus Wade” decision. “It doesn’t seem fair to force people to do things with their body that they have not consented to and that they do not desire,” said one protester.
The protests come a week after Alabama enacted the strictest abortion law in the U.S. The law bans almost all abortions, including cases of rape and incest. The so-called “heartbeat bills” are now law in four other states. Those bills generally ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected.
Planned Parenthood sponsored this rally in Columbia. Several state lawmakers… as well as women’s rights advocates were there.
Opponents of abortion bans say the state should care about the lives of people already here. Supporters want legislation passed to protect the unborn.
“They say they’re pro-life but they’re not, they’re pro-birth, because when you have the baby they walk away,” said Joann Sheler.
Steve Lefemine, who was counter-protesting in Columbia, said, “We are still funding killing babies and we are still funding an organization that’s killing babies and that’s not pleasing to God.”
The South Carolina House passed a fetal heartbeat bill last month.The state Senate will take up that legislation when the second half of the two-year session begins in January.