Tallahassee, FL – Hours after the leak from U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito, hundreds of Tallahassee residents gathered at the Florida Supreme Court building, May 4, to rally for abortion rights and reproductive freedom.

The demonstration swelled to over 300 protesters. Some signs included “Defend Roe v. Wade” and “Keep abortion legal – defend women's and reproductive rights.” Protesters chanted, “Our bodies our choice,” “When abortion rights are under attack, stand up fight back!” and “Not the courts, not the state, we alone decide our fate.”

This action came just a month after Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB5, anti-abortion legislation that banned abortion after 15 weeks.

Last month Students for a Democratic Society chapters from all over the state of Florida convened in the Florida Capitol to fight against the ban in HB5. As a result, they were met with political repression which culminated in Planned Parenthood organizer Lauren Brezel being detained by capitol police. Brezel spent over 18 hours at the Leon County Jail. Additionally, dozens of reproductive rights and student organizers were also issued a trespass warning.

The May 4 protest was called by Planned Parenthood and several other organizations mobilized, including Florida State University Students for a Democratic Society, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Tallahassee Community Action Committee.

When asked about next steps, Val Beron stated, “Moving forward it’s so important that activists and community members stay on high alert and join direct action efforts in combating the state’s efforts to restrict reproductive rights. We have to stay involved, join organizations and take to the streets and show that the public will not tolerate our rights being stripped away from us”

#TallahasseeFL #StudentMovement #StudentsForADemocraticSocietySDS #RoeVWade