MISSOULA - A crowd gathered Tuesday afternoon in front of the Missoula County Courthouse to rally in support of women's rights.
The gathering — part of a nationwide Protect Abortion Rally effort — began at 5 p.m.
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The event comes on the heels of the release of a draft US Supreme Court opinion obtained and published by Politico.
The decision — if finalized — would dismantle 50 years of precedent and pave the way for states to severely curtail abortion rights in the United States.
The leak shows the court is poised to give regulatory power over abortions back to states, a move that would restrict access to legal abortions in conservative parts of the country.
A total of 23 states — including all that surround Montana — have already passed laws that automatically restrict abortions if the court rules in their favor.
Women’s rights advocates say these laws unfairly target poor women and will lead to risky illegal procedures.
Tuesday afternoon, protesters at the Missoula County Courthouse held signs and chanted, saying access to abortions is health care and a human right.
Women’s march protester Terry Jenks said she was in college when Roe was decided, and today she's protesting for her granddaughter's future.
"Well, I think this is the most important issue for women for the last 50 years. This is the largest insult to women's rights in a very long time. Unwanted pregnancies become unwanted children and I don't like child abuse."
Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the document is authentic and ordered an official investigation into the leak.
