For tourists like Patti Ciferno, whose daughter lives in Brooklyn, spending part of her Mother’s Day weekend in Union Square to protest against the restriction of abortion rights took priority over sightseeing.
“I was thirteen when the decision came down to protect women’s choice,” said Ciferno, “Now I am 61 years old and I cannot believe we are standing here today in a backward run to get to a worse place than we were when I was 13 years old.”
Ciferno’s daughter held a sign that read “We Will Fight Back,” as they gathered Saturday with more than 200 people. Others carried signs becalling for the abolishment of the Supreme Court or said “Safe, Legal Abortion On Demand No Apologies” and “Abortion Ban Equals Cruelty.”
Organizers led chants in protest of the potential undoing of abortion rights in an upcoming Supreme Court decision and worked to raise consciousness about socioeconomic issues related to Roe vs. Wade.
“Ultimately, it is poor women who won’t be able to access abortion or reproductive health,” said Claudia De La Cruz, co-executive director of The People’s Forum, a Midtown nonprofit training ground for progressive organizers. “If we understand that we are unified in this struggle, I do believe that transformation is possible.”
After learning of the leaked draft opinion by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, Ciferno admits she’s pretty nervous the nation’s highest court will overturn fifty years of abortion rights.
“I have a young daughter that has a right to make choices about her body,” Ciferno said. “ If I had that choice, I want her to have that choice.”
Despite the rainy weather and cold temperatures, many who attended felt it was important to be part of a movement of nationwide protests to get the Supreme Court to leave the landmark Roe vs. Wade decision alone.
“It’s purely a matter of control. Of controlling women and others,” said Manny Lomba.
Throughout the weekend, protests outside of churches were slated to take place, including outside Sunday mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral.