Thousands March in US Abortion Rallies

Facts

• On Saturday, thousands of protesters marched in cities across the US in opposition to SCOTUS's overturning of Roe v. Wade, and to urge voters to turn out in support of Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections.
• A crowd of mostly women chanted, "we won't go back," while their banners called for a "feminist tsunami" in a demonstration in Washington, DC. A number of people wore green - associated with the pursuit of abortion rights - and others wore blue to symbolize the "blue wave" of democratic support they hope to prompt.
• Demonstrations in the capital were just one of 450 protests planned across the country, according to activist group Women's March. In Arizona, hundreds of people assembled outside the state's capitol building. Arizona will be a crucial swing state next month, and has been a legal battleground over abortion rights since the reversal of Roe. Most recently, on Friday, abortion laws passed by the state after the ruling were struck down.
• Several counter-protesters were also present at the marches, reflecting a new animation in the debate around abortion since SCOTUS's June ruling.
• On Sunday morning, Rachel Carmona, the Executive Director of Women's March, tweeted that, "women and activists across the country have never felt more urgency to turn up and speak out... We are fired up to elect more women and pro-choice candidates."
• The results of the midterms are expected to determine abortion access for the foreseeable future in states such as Pennsylvania and Michigan, which have so far seen Democratic governors obstruct the efforts of GOP-led legislatures to pass abortion laws.

Sources: France24, Global Times, ABC, Al Jazeera, Fox5dc, and Washington Post.

Narratives

• Democratic narrative, as provided by CBC. Until a few months ago Democratic support was catastrophic, but the injustice done by a majority-conservative Supreme Court has seen the electorate more enthusiastic than ever to support a left-wing legislative mandate. Abortion is constantly being catapulted back to the forefront in swing states, where voters know that the GOP cannot be trusted to protect the health and autonomy of women by defending reproductive rights.
• Republican narrative, as provided by Daily Mail. Rather than prioritize abortion, the Democrats would do better to focus on issues affecting working-class Americans, such as the state of the economy, in the run-up to the midterms, as even Bernie Sanders recognizes. While Biden is busy attempting to distract from a record of failed leadership and incompetent policy, the GOP is putting voters' concerns - like the rising cost of living and threat of crime - at the heart of their campaign.