'We’ll fight back': Hundreds march through streets of Milwaukee in support of woman's right to choose
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Wednesday, May 4, hundreds of pro-choice supporters demonstrated in downtown Milwaukee against the leaked Supreme Court opinion that could overturn Roe vs Wade.
They first gathered in Red Arrow Park to listen to speeches, before marching two miles to Planned Parenthood.
Their message was largely one of resilience in the face of what demonstrators called a violation of rights.
The streets of downtown Milwaukee were filled with people from all walks of life, pledging to fight for a woman’s right to choose.
The chants of “We won’t go back, we’ll fight back. We won’t go back, we’ll fight back” rang out loud and clear Wednesday as hundreds of voices united in opposition to the leaked Supreme Court opinion.
There was some hope in Red Arrow Park, but a lot of anger and frustration prevailed. A speaker named Mekenna said, "Removing access to safe abortions does not stop abortions from happening. Abortions will continue to happen and they will be deadly."
Many people said they traveled from across the state to be at the rally, to show solidarity and strength.
Natasha Prather said, "I am concerned about the measures people are going to have to go to in order to keep control of their own life. Instead of letting someone else dictate it for them."
The crowd included members of the LGBTQ+ community, parents, men, and at least one city official.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said, "This is settled law, and there are a ton of implications -health and otherwise- for women, in particular."
Those gathered told us they came for themselves, and for family, friends, and strangers.
Rachel Catlett of Elkhorn said, "All of the work that we have done, that my mothers and my grandmothers have done to move us forward in this situation are being rolled back for a minority."
Some speakers shared their personal experiences with abortion. Others admitted to feeling fear and uncertainty about the days ahead. Grace Potter of Grafton said, "It's going to make everything worse. It's not even just this, it's about our privacy rights, as well. This is just the first step."
"The people do have the power to demand better and enact change, we've seen it through history. We've seen it with the civil rights moments of the 60s and 70s, the women's liberation movement, the LGBTQ liberation movement. When people come together to organize and demand change like that's where the power is, the power is with the people," said Erica Steib of Party for Socialism and Liberation Milwaukee.
There were no pro-life demonstrators at the rally.
Another march is planned for Saturday May 7th at 4 p.m. outside the Milwaukee Planned Parenthood location on Wisconsin Ave.