Framingham Group Plans Rally 1 Year After Roe V. Wade Overturned

FRAMINGHAM, MA — June 24 marks the one-year anniversary of the day the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

To mark the day and call for greater reproductive freedom across the country, organizations and civil rights groups have called for a day of action and protest. In Framingham, a local organization has confirmed a rally for Saturday.

The Framingham Coalition for Bodily Autonomy has planned a rally outside of the Framingham Memorial Building starting at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Speakers for the event range from organizers with the group to the news editor of the Framingham State student newspaper to Massachusetts Rep. Priscila Sousa and Jack Lewis.

The FCBA is "is a grassroots group that was created following a rally protesting the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, last year on the 4th of July," officials with the group said.

Their goal is to continue pushing for greater protections in the wake of the Supreme Court decision.

"Roe is gone but we aren’t going anywhere," organizer Grace Snedden said.

Massachusetts is one of 14 states, plus the District of Columbia, with laws in place protecting the right to an abortion, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. Even with the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision reversed, Massachusetts residents can still receive abortion care.

State lawmakers swiftly confirmed with residents that Massachusetts would continue to be a state that maintained reproductive rights post-Roe v. Wade.

"Today is a dark day in our history," said then-state Attorney General and now Gov. Maura Healey in reaction to the ruling. "For nearly 50 years, the constitutional right to abortion has saved lives. It is freedom, healing and the chance to live your life on your own terms.

"That will never change, which is why we can never give up on realizing this freedom for all."

That did change in 13 states across the country, however.

The Center for Reproductive Rights has a map of where all 50 states stand on abortion, noting that 13 have made it illegal.

Those states are:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Idaho
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• North Dakota
• Oklahoma
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• West Virginia