Protests Slated Around Chicagoland After SCOTUS Overturns Roe V. Wade

CHICAGO — As the swift response to Friday morning’s Supreme Court decision overturning Roe V. Wade continues, several protests are scheduled for the greater Chicago area against the court’s decision to strip women nationwide of the right to have an abortion.

Several marches have been announced for Friday evening, including in downtown Chicago and in Wheaton and Naperville, organizers announced on Friday.

The events will take place as state leaders — including Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and others — have said that Illinois will remain a sanctuary for women who want to have the procedure done in Illinois. Friday's 6-3 court decision opens the door for states to make the procedure of terminating a pregnancy illegal.

RELATED: After Supreme Court Decision, Roe V. Wade Remains Law In IL: Pritzker

Several groups, including the ACLU of Illinois, the Chicago Abortion Fund and Equality Illinois, will participate in the protest scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Federal Plaza, located at the corner of Adams and Dearborn streets.

"While the specifics of the court's ruling will be dissected over the coming hours and days, this much is clear: The court has shown its contempt for the overwhelming majority of Americans who support legal abortion and Roe v. Wade," Gina Rozman-Wendle, president of Chicago National Organization for Women (NOW) and an activist with Chicago For Abortion Rights, said in a statement.

"The court has confirmed people's fears that the majority of its justices, rather than following sound judicial principles of the right to privacy and bodily autonomy versus heavy-handed government control, have chosen to side with the most extreme anti-abortion zealots."

Anti-abortion supporters, including those from March For Life Chicago, held a news conference at a downtown hotel celebrating the decision. At the event, Anna Kinskey, associate director of weDignify & the March for Life Chicago, said Friday's decision corrects the Supreme Court's "egregious" mistakes of 50 years ago.

"Today is a momentous day for human rights in America," Kinskey said. "Today, thousands of children and their families are protected against the violence of abortion."

Pritzker and Lightfoot on Friday both blasted the high court's decision, saying that partisan politics have stripped away the legitimacy of the court.

RELATED: Abortion Rights Left To States To Decide After Roe V. Wade Overturned

In the suburbs, a pair of events are scheduled to take place, including one in Wheaton at 5 p.m. and another in Naperville at 5:30 p.m.

The Naperville event — planned by the League of Women Voters Naperville, the American Association of University Women, the National Council of Jewish Women and Naperville NOW — was announced via Twitter shortly after the news of the Supreme Court's decision.

"We're mad as hell!!" the flyer posted on AAUW Naperville's Twitter page read. "It is our body and our decision if we need or want an abortion!!!!"

The Wheaton protest will begin at the Henry J. Hyde Judicial Office and will then make its way to the early voting site at the DuPage County Fairgrounds, organizers said.

RELATED: Protesters Gather After Supreme Court Strikes Down Roe V. Wade

"Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has been taken over by anti-choice zealots who have no respect for the Constitution, we must make our voices heard loud and clear in the voting booth," said state Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn), who is to attend the Friday evening rally. "The Republican Party has declared open war on American women's rights. We need to let them know that we won't go back – not today, not ever."

• Wheaton protest: 5 p.m. — Participants will meet at the Henry J. Hyde Judicial Office Facility, 505 N. County Farm Road, for the rally and then make their way on foot to the early voting site located at DuPage County Fairgrounds, at 2015 W. Manchester Road.
• Naperville protest: 5:30 p.m. — The rally will be held near Burger King on Washington Street.
• Chicago protest: 5:30 p.m. June 24 — at Federal Plaza, located at the corner of Adams and Dearborn streets.
• Chicago protest: 5 p.m. — 10300 S. Western Ave., as a protest sponsored by several groups including Planned Parenthood, MoveOn, Women's March, and others will take place.

Patch editor Lisa Marie Farver contributed reporting to this story.