HARTFORD, Conn. — A crowd of anti-abortion supporters rallied and marched outside the Capitol building Wednesday afternoon in part of the Connecticut March for Life, a national anti-abortion organization.
Demonstrators held signs and marched around Bushnell Park, saying it was a fight for laws that protect the unborn.
“There’s such power in rallying the grassroots, pro-life people in states, so here today in Connecticut we’re very excited to do just that,” said Jeanne Mancini, President of March for Life.
“It’s wonderful, these buses coming in here, I didn’t think there would be buses! There’s a big crowd here,” said Father Joe Looney, a retired priest.
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There are two bills in the works in the state, one that would allow clinicians to perform abortions and the other would essentially protect women that have abortions in Connecticut who live in states where it is banned.
There is also a proposed amendment that would make abortion a constitutional right in Connecticut.
“I would like to see our legislators look at us and say, 'Wow there’s a lot of people that are pro-life maybe we better rethink this when it comes time to vote,” said Peterson.
“This is a human rights issue it’s not a religious issue, it’s about human rights,” said Kym Bartolini from The Valley Community Church in Avon.
The outcome is still pending from the Supreme Court in the Mississippi abortion case Dobbs v Jackson. Demonstrators hope the decision will be a turning point in their fight to protect life.
“This is our year, we might overturn Roe v Wade and we’ve waited a long time for this, we want to build bridges to the other side,” said Bartolini.
While the marchers were met by no counter-protesters, one local organization that provides abortions is grateful state lawmakers continue to push for women’s rights to choose.
“At the Women’s Center’s we’re committed to when somebody makes a decision to end a pregnancy that they are met with compassion,” said Roxanne Sutocky, the Director of Community Engagement. “We are committed to that, we’re not backing down.”
Lindsey Kane is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at Lkane@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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