New Orleans protests at Louisiana “Right to Life” headquarters
New Orleans, LA – On April 9, a crowd of pro-choice activists rallied outside of the Louisiana Right to Life headquarters to protest the organization’s oppressive anti-abortion agenda.
Louisiana Right to Life (LARTL) actively works to introduce anti-abortion legislation at the state and federal levels. They profit off of misinforming the public, particularly minors, about abortion and villainizing people who are fighting for their bodily autonomy. LARTL claims Louisiana is the second most “pro-life” state in the country. On the contrary, the state ranks fourth highest in maternal mortality rates and fifth highest in infant mortality rates. 20% of Louisianans are also living below the federal poverty line.
“We all came out here today to call out the hypocrisy of places like this that claim to work on the basis of cherishing life. Let’s get one thing straight: you don’t cherish life, you’re not ‘pro-life,’ you’re pro-forced birth!” said Olivia Wagoner, an organizer with the Queer Trans Community Action Project.
The headquarters are located in a conservative suburb on the outskirts of the city. Many cars honked in support as they drove by in the rush-hour traffic.
The protest lasted over an hour, with chants such as “Right to Life is a lie, you don’t care if people die!” and “Not the church, not the state! People must decide their fate.” The crowd was amped up and showed their willingness to fight back against the state’s and Governor Jeff Landry’s attacks on reproductive rights.
As the crowd gained more attention, the people working in the office came out to antagonize the protesters. This did not work, as the chants only got louder and fiercer. Right before 5 p.m., the bigots retreated once their workday was over. The pro-choice activists remained. Molly Frayle, a member of the Queer Trans Community Action Project, called out their insincerity by stating “They were out here because they got paid to do so! We are out here because we care!”
The fight for reproductive justice is far from over, but the people will continue to push back. As the LARTL staff scurried away, protesters yelled “We will be back!”