Pro-abortion activists marched to the residences of Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh on Saturday night. The protests right outside of the homes of the Supreme Court justices were backlash to a leaked draft decision that indicates that the U.S. Supreme Court could potentially overturn the controversial Roe v. Wade decision.
Roughly 100 pro-abortion activists gathered outside the homes of the Supreme Court justices in Chevy Chase, Maryland. The flyer for the demonstration called for “reproductive freedom.”
In videos posted to social media, protesters are heard chanting, “Keep abortion safe and legal,” “You don’t care if people die,” “The whole world is watching,” “We will not go back,” and “My body, my choice.”
The protesters drew hangers outside the homes of the Supreme Court justices. The pro-abortion activists held up signs that read, “F*** your God” and “Abortion is healthcare.”
Douglas Blair – a news producer at the Daily Signal who covered the protests – noted, “The energy is markedly more negative outside Kavanaugh’s house. The anger has become much more palpable than outside any other justices’ house.”
“The time for civility is over, man,” a protester told Bloomberg. “Being polite doesn’t get you anywhere.”
Another protester called the possible overturning of Roe V. Wade “bulls**t,” and said, “You don’t get to take away our bodily autonomy and enjoy your Saturday night at home – you get to do one or the other.”
“This is personal, so we’re going to take it to the personal space,” the activist said. “They did this, not us.”
Police showed up to disperse the protesters. One police officer appears to be informing the protesters that the demonstration is a violation of 18 U.S. Code § 1507 – Picketing or parading.
18 U.S.C. § 1507 states:
Whoever, with the intent of interfering with, obstructing, or impeding the administration of justice, or with the intent of influencing any judge, juror, witness, or court officer, in the discharge of his duty, pickets or parades in or near a building housing a court of the United States, or in or near a building or residence occupied or used by such judge, juror, witness, or court officer, or with such intent uses any sound-truck or similar device or resorts to any other demonstration in or near any such building or residence, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
It was not clear if either justice and their family were at the residences during the protests. Kavanaugh has two daughters – both of whom are minors. Roberts has two adopted children.
Last week, White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked about the planned protests outside the homes of U.S. Supreme Court justices, and she said, “We certainly encourage people to keep it peaceful and not resort to any level of violence.”
The far-left activist organization ShutDown DC has already planned a march at the home of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.
The evening of Monday, May 9, we will hold a vigil for all these rights that Alito is threatening to take away. Because it’s been impossible to reach him at the Supreme Court (especially now with the enormous fences), we will do it at his home. At 7:30 pm we will gather at a nearby location and walk together to his house. At the foot of his driveway, on the public street, we will light candles and speakers will share their testimony. We will hold a moment of silence for the rights we know are ours, then walk back together to the meeting location.
Ruth Sent Us — another far-left activist group named after late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg — announced a “Walk-By Wednesday” protest on May 11 “at the homes of the six extremist justices, three in Virginia and three in Maryland.”
Last week, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) floated the idea that the leaked opinion was done so to “intimidate” the justices.
“The next time you hear the far left preaching about how they are fighting to preserve our Republic’s institutions & norms remember how they leaked a Supreme Court opinion in an attempt to intimidate the justices on abortion,” Rubio wrote on Twitter.
On Friday, CNN warned that the leak of the Supreme Court potentially overturning Roe v. Wade could ignite protests by the “far-right.”
“CNN has learned that the U.S. Capitol police are bracing for large demonstrations that are being organized by far-right groups to protest abortion rights,” said CNN guest host Alex Marquardt.