Roe vs Wade: Perth protesters join outcry over controversial court decision on abortion in US

NOTE: Some images contain profanity.

Anger over abortion rights being stripped away by the United States Supreme Court has reached WA, with hundreds protesting outside the American Consulate General in Perth. Organisers of Monday afternoon’s rally said they were standing “in solidarity with those fighting in America” while convening on St Georges Terrace’s consulate in the CBD.

Hundreds of people, from high school students to CBD office workers, flooded the footpath as part of global outcry over the US Supreme Court’s controversial decision to repeal the 49-year-old Roe vs Wade ruling.

Roe vs Wade gave American women the right to seek out abortions while pregnant at Federal level.

Friday’s decision allowed individual American states to set their own laws. About half of all US’ states – predominately Republican Party leaning ones – are expected to now either outright ban or heavily restrict access to abortions.

Among those taking to the streets in Perth was Chicago-born mother Annie Gilbertsen. Ms Gilbertsen said the U.S Supreme Court’s decision on Friday was “backwards” and a would make it harder to decide on immigrating back to her homeland with her three-year-old daughter Sophie in the future.

“These people who are ‘pro-life’, they’re not, they’re pro-forcing birth,” she said.“And once (children) are born, there’s no help for them, no maternal health care, no maternity leave in lots of spots, it just seems like a joke.”

Ms Gilbertsen said the decision was “So absolutely backwards”.

“The (US Supreme Court Justices) will never have to make a decision on whether they have to have an abortion. . . its just so backwards to me, especially having (daugher Sophie), I absolutely don’t want that to be a position she’s in,” she said.

“It’s her body, if she wants to be pregnant, that’s great. If she doesn’t, that’s great. Nobody should have to go through it if they don’t want to.”