(La Porte, IN) - More than 100 people in downtown La Porte turned out for a demonstration against the U.S. Supreme Court overturning the constitutional right to an abortion.

 

The high court, on June 24, voted 6 to 3 to uphold Mississippi's Gestational Age Act and 5–4 to overrule Roe and Casey, the landmark case declaring abortion a right under the U.S. Constitution in 1973.

 

Two days later, the protest outside the courthouse was organized by Brianna Holzer, a 21-year-old LaPorte woman clinging to hope a majority of the justices would not follow through on their written judgment leaked to media members several weeks ago.

 

"I am quite emotional. I have cried quite a few times today because there was a little bit of hope in my mind that maybe, just maybe the U.S. would realize that people who have uteruses are actually human beings. We deserve rights. It's a little disheartening and quite angering," Holzer said.

The high court decision allows states to decide whether to ban or restrict abortion in their own jurisdictions. Holzer said her fear is abortion will be prohibited in Indiana, forcing women to travel across state lines to terminate their pregnancies.

 

The Indiana State Legislature is scheduled to meet in a special session on July 6 to begin crafting the state's abortion law.

 

Governor Eric Holcomb didn't specify what should be contained in the state's abortion law but said he is pro-life. He said the right to an abortion nationwide being overturned presents an opportunity to protect the sanctity of life further and "that's what we're going to do."

 

State Representative Jim Pressel (R) Rolling Prairie did not offer an opinion on any ban or restrictions the state should impose on abortion.

 

"It's too early to speculate on what form any legislation may take, butI'mm ready to go to work and look forward to having discussions with constituents and my fellow legislators about what this Supreme Court decision means for Indiana," Pressel said.

Holzer said she fears Indiana, being a primarily conservative state, will ban the practice, forcing women to travel across state lines to have the procedure. However, she disagrees with people who call abortion murder.

 

Holzer said late-term abortion rarely occurs, and she doesn't consider a fetus a human being in the very early stages of pregnancy.

 

"It's just a few cells clumped together in a woman's uterus and I just don't see how that can be murder," Holzer said.