Hundreds of people gathered at Drake Park in Bend on Saturday afternoon to stand against the Supreme Court’s potential overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Attendees held up signs with messages like ‘Bans off our Bodies’, ‘Women’s Rights are Human Rights’, and ‘Safe Access to Abortion Saves Lives’.
Josie Stanfield, one of the event organizers and a leader for Central Oregon Diversity Project, said looking out over the crowd felt like solidarity.
“I think for many of us activists, especially me, it’s a culmination of all the things we’ve been through in the last few years,” she said. “But I think overall the drafted decision to overturn Roe v. Wade that was leaked is ultimately the reason why so many people are standing up now.”
Attendee Jamie Rose said abortion is one of the main things she considers when voting, and she is extremely passionate about the cause.
“I was very glad that Central Oregon decided to come out and be as active as we are seeing today,” she said. “There are so many people and so many different groups, and this isn’t just about abortion, this is about freedom, this is about choice and this is about making sure that we as citizens have a right to control our own bodies.”
The crowd marched through Downtown Bend and landed at Peace Corner, where they held signs in support of bodily autonomy.
“My body, my choice!” many chanted.
Some cars honked in support as they passed by the scene.
Stanfield said there were no more rallies planned at the moment but that there would definitely be more, especially geared toward young people.
“We’re the future of the country, so it’s extremely important that we’re involved in this,” she said.
