Many Abortion Advocates Spoke Against SCOTUS Ruling At St. Pete Rally

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — On Friday, numerous abortion advocates in St. Petersburg rallied at North Straub Park after the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade.

At the rally were elected officials like St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch, Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist, and Florida House member Representative Michele Rayner-Goolsby.

The Women's Advocacy Movement of Pinellas organized the rally, "Bans Off Our Bodies," at North Straub Park. Rayner-Goolsby, the first openly queer Black woman to serve in the Florida Legislature, was a featured speaker at the rally.

"I don't know about ya'll, but I am pissed off," Rayner-Goolsby said, referring to the SCOTUS ruling on her Facebook Live from the park. "I am mad as hell," she continued as women yelled they felt the same."I am sick and tired of being sick and tired."

Rayner-Goolsby said that residents have to elect folks that align with their beliefs of protecting reproductive rights. Florida is having an election for governor and lieutenant governor on Nov. 8. The primary is scheduled for Aug. 23.

Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed a bill into law that after 15 weeks of pregnancy, an abortion is outlawed. This law goes into effect July 1.

Mayor Ken Welch said on his Facebook, "While not unexpected, I'm extremely disappointed with the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and roll the clock back 50 years on a woman's access to bodily autonomy and reproductive health care. I trust my daughters, and all women, to make decisions about their bodies and personal health care — not politicians."

Welch echoed the importance of voting, saying this decision now places abortion regulation with states, making it more important than ever to show up at the polls.