WASHINGTON (AP) — Protesters opposed to the Supreme Court's decision overturning abortion rights briefly interrupted arguments at the court Wednesday and urged women to vote in next week's elections.
It was the first courtroom disruption since the court's decision in June that stripped away women's constitutional protections for abortion after nearly a half-century under Roe v. Wade.
Three people stood up in the courtroom in the first few minutes of Wednesday's session to denounce the abortion ruling, which came in a case from Mississippi, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.
"Our right to choose will not be taken away," one protester said. "Women, vote for our right to choose."
The justices did not appear to react to the disruption. The protesters did not resist when police led them away.
The protesters, identified as Emily Archer Paterson, Rolande Dianne Baker, and Nicole Elizabeth Enfield, were charged were violating a law against making a "harangue" in the Supreme Court building and another barring interference with the administration of justice, court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe said by email.
The justices heard arguments Wednesday in a case involving reporting requirements under the Bank Secrecy Act. After a 19-month closure because of the coronavirus pandemic, the courtroom was reopened to the public in October.
The last time Supreme Court arguments were interrupted was in 2015 when opponents of rulings that lifted limits on money in political campaigns voiced their protest and even managed to get a camera past court security.
Seven people were arrested in the January 2015 protest that took place on the fifth anniversary of the court's Citizen United ruling that freed corporations and labor unions to spend as much as they want on elections for Congress and president.
- Posted November 03, 2022
- Tweet This | Share on Facebook
Abortion-rights protesters briefly interrupt Supreme Court
headlines Oakland County
- Whitmer signs gun violence prevention legislation
- Department of Attorney General conducts statewide warrant sweep, arrests 9
- Adoptive families across Michigan recognized during Adoption Day and Month
- Reproductive Health Act signed into law
- Case study: Documentary highlights history of courts in the Eastern District
headlines National
- Judge is accused of using racial slur, vulgar terms and ‘libtard’ label for employee offended by his comments
- ACLU and BigLaw firm use ‘Orange is the New Black’ in hashtag effort to promote NY jail reform
- Colorado Supreme Court considers whether habeas petition can free zoo elephants
- 4th Circuit upholds $1M sanction for law firm that tried to ‘sabotage’ federal court’s authority
- Don’t give money to law schools unless they teach originalism, conservative federal appeals judge says
- Average BigLaw partner compensation increased 26% in 2 years, reaching this high-water mark