Reproductive health activists stormed the residences of United States Supreme Court justices to protest over access to abortion across the country.
Activists gathered in the rain outside Chief Justice John Roberts' and Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh's Maryland homes on Saturday to denounce a leaked draft ruling backed by the court's conservative majority, per an ABC News report.
According to Politico, the opinion draft written by Justice Samuel Alito and released last Monday would overturn Roe v. Wade's nearly 50-year precedent. However, the justices could still alter their views and produce new drafts until the issue is decided in June.
The document has been recognized as authentic by the high court, and how the contentious document was leaked is being probed, as per a report from Bloomberg.
Protests are being organized in part to generate a wave of pressure that could affect the ultimate decision.
Biden Administration Defends Justices' Right to Privacy
The White House responded on Monday, saying that the justices need not be concerned about their "safety."
According to White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, President Joe Biden "strongly" believes that the Constitution grants the right to protest. "But that should never include violence, threats, or vandalism. Judges perform an incredibly important function in our society, and they must be able to do their jobs without concern for their "safety," she tweeted.
After Psaki's initial response to protesters at the justices' residences, Republicans blamed the administration for failing to condemn violent threats.
Psaki remarked that President Biden acknowledges that "there's a lot of passion, a lot of fear, a lot of sadness" from many people across the country in reaction to the leaked draft high court opinion.
"We obviously want people's privacy to be respected. We want people to protest peacefully if they want to protest. That is certainly what the president's view would be," she said.
.@POTUS strongly believes in the Constitutional right to protest. But that should never include violence, threats, or vandalism. Judges perform an incredibly important function in our society, and they must be able to do their jobs without concern for their personal safety.
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) May 9, 2022
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Heightened Security For Justices
As the protests erupted, officers from the Montgomery County Police Department were on the scene, as photographed by ABC affiliate station WJLA. A request for comment was not immediately returned. According to ABC News, there were no reports of violence or vandalism during the demonstrations.
Senators Chris Coons of Delaware and John Cornyn of Texas presented legislation on Monday that would authorize the Supreme Court Police to provide 24-hour security to all nine justices and their families.
The United States Marshals Service said Monday that it is supporting the Supreme Court Marshal with enhanced security issues as a result of the leaked draft judgment.
Both pro- and anti-abortion protesters have rallied at the steps of the Supreme Court in Washington DC since the leak.
If Roe is reversed, a prohibition on practically all abortions would take effect immediately in 13 states, with more to follow. It is expected that abortion will remain legal in around half of the US states.
On Monday, New York lawmakers introduced new legislation to enhance abortion access. Several other left-leaning states have followed suit.
New York has also announced that it will provide financing to organizations that assist people in traveling to the state for abortions.
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