3rd day of protests against Roe v. Wade ruling held in downtown LA
LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- A third day of demonstrations were held in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday as the outcry continued against the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn federal abortion protections provided under Roe v. Wade.
Sunday's demonstration, organized by the groups The Feminist Front and Generation Ratify, began at 1 p.m. at Grand Park. It comes on the heels of two days of demonstrations following the U.S. Supreme Court 5-4 decision Friday to overturn 1973's Roe v. Wade ruling.
At 1:48 p.m., the Los Angeles Police Department reported that a "small group" had gathered downtown, but said say the flow of traffic was not affected.
Several streets around the Civic Center were temporarily closed Saturday as two large demonstrations were held in downtown, one at Grand Park and another outside the federal courthouse on First Street, with a third rally held outside the Federal Building in Westwood.
Saturday's demonstrations were mostly orderly and peaceful, except for a brief attempt by protesters to access the 101 Freeway. Police said a group entered the off-ramp from Broadway Avenue at about 3:42 p.m., but the off-ramp was cleared about 17 minutes later.
'Full House' star Jodie Sweetin shoved to ground by LAPD during Roe protest, video shows
Hundreds of protesters gathered downtown in the hours after the Supreme Court announced its decision, and after some skirmishes occurred, the LAPD declared an unlawful assembly and issued a temporary citywide tactical alert to clear the streets.
Two people were arrested and four officers were injured, LAPD officials said.
"I condemn the violence against officers that occurred last night (Friday) and into today (Saturday morning)," Police Chief Michel Moore said Saturday. "Individuals participating in such criminal activity are not exercising their First Amendment rights in protest of the Supreme Court decision, rather, they are acting as criminals. The Department will vigorously pursue prosecution of these individuals."
The Police Protective League also issued a lengthy statement Saturday condemning the actions of some in the crowd at Friday's protest.
"As a society, it should be easy to condemn attacking police officers with improvised blowtorches, or throwing fireworks, rocks and bottles at officers under the guise of 'protest.' Yet, the silence is deafening from our so-called community's leaders." League officials said. "This type of raw violence on display in Los Angeles and across the nation from dangerous mobs hell-bent on destruction has nothing to do with a woman's right to choose. Rather, it is nothing more than disgusting opportunistic behavior carried out by criminals hiding behind our First Amendment."
"Full House" star Jodie Sweetin spoke out Sunday after police shoved her to the ground during the abortion-rights protest on the 101 Freeway.
Video showed LAPD officers shoving Sweetin, who was one of the group of demonstrators.
"I'm extremely proud of the hundreds of people who showed up yesterday to exercise their First Amendment rights and take immediate action to peacefully protest the giant injustices that have been delivered from our Supreme Court," Sweetin said in a statement. "Our activism will continue until our voices are heard and action is taken. This will not deter us, we will continue fighting for our rights. We are not free until all of us are free."
