MISSOULA - Hundreds of people gathered outside the Missoula County Courthouse to protest in the wake of theSupreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
This decision, after 50 years of precedent, stripped women of their right to an abortion. MTN News spoke with Montana District 1's primary winner, Monica Tranel, to hear her message.
"Take action. Your vote is the most important thing you can do right now and this November offers a very, very stark choice," Tranel said. ”This isn’t about abortion because if it was about abortion we would be reducing unwanted pregnancies, and we are doing nothing to do that and doing nothing to support families. This isn’t about abortion. It’s about controlling women. And that’s wrong.”
Protesters chanted in concurrence with Tranel. They held signs with slogans like "abortion is healthcare," "abortion saves lives," and "body autonomy is a human right".
In addition, protesters took to the stage to share their opinions, many of them saying that they feel unsafe and unsupported in their country. One protester detailed who would be most impacted by the Supreme Court's decision, noting that Black, Indigenous, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and younger women would be hit the hardest.
"They've had their word. We have the next word," Tranel said.
She said that the Supreme Court has spoken, but the voices of the people of the United States will soon be heard. She emphasized that there is much to be done before the elections in November and the people must work to save their freedoms.
