Thousands of people came to the Indiana Statehouse on Saturday, June 25, 2022 to advocate for abortion rights. Others also supported the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to end the constitutional protections for abortion. Two 28-year-olds, Melissa Eleonora Mena-Schneller, right, and Austin, left, debate whether a woman should have the choice to end a pregnancy
(Eric Weddle)
Hoosiers on both sides of the abortion fight collided at the Indiana capital Saturday.
From the steps of the statehouse, speakers from American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, Planned Parenthood and Women4Change called on the crowd of a few thousand to fight back against the ruling and find ways to support women who could soon be impacted.
"We win when we show up," Jane Henegar, ACLU Executive Director, said. "When we stand up for our rights and the rights of others."
Thousands of people came to the Indiana capital on Saturday, June 25, 2022 to advocate for abortion rights. The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana organized a protest on the steps of the statehouse.
The speakers reminded those in attendance that abortion is still legal in Indiana.
"I'm worried that because of the Supreme Court decision that people have already stopped thinking that they have that right here in Indiana which they absolutely do until the legislature says otherwise," said Katie Blair, ACLU public policy director.
Indiana lawmakers return for a special session July 6 when they could restrict abortion. Planned Parenthood State Director LaKimba DeSadier called on the thousands of pro-abortion rights protestors to descend on the Statehouse next month when lawmakers appear prepared to ban or restrict abortion.
"I expect to see this whole crowd in this building," DeSadlier said.
Lydia Jurgen also expects people to put pressure on lawmakers and Gov. Eric Holcomb -- to ban abortion.
Jurgen, a 68-year-old Indianapolis native, has advocated for a ban since 1986. She attended a prayer rally held on the statehouse lawn.
"I am happy for the county that maybe we can stop the culture of death," she said of ruling. "Maybe we can make it illegal in Indiana."
What come's next?
Both sides arrived at the Statehouse to demand what they want to happen next in Indiana, in wake of the high court’s decision that pushed the issue of how to legislate abortion back to individual states. Many of the protestors were young and came with personal stories.
Chloe Irvin, 18, drove from Crawfordsville. She expressed anxiety for the future.
"It does make me fearful," she said. "It makes me fear for our future and what other rights can be taken away from like LGBT folk or trans people."
Mary Stergar, 70, said her grandmother died from coathanger abortion that she was forced into.
"So it's very personal to me," she said.
Right to Life Indianapolis and Stand for Life Indiana held two separate rallies on the Statehouse south lawn. Supporters there want Indiana to join more than 20 other states who will soon or already have made abortion illegal or heavily restricted.
Mark Tuttle, the Indianapolis Right to Life president, is looking forward lawmakers' discussion next month.
"Fo us to be able to come together as Hoosiers to really talk about these issues find out how best to protect innocent human life as well as be there for the pregnant moms and to support moms in their need," Tuttle said.
Some anti-abortion protestors, like Michael Thornesly, said they support a full ban without exemptions for rape or a mother whose life is at risk.
"I do believe that it should be across the board because even though a woman's life might be at risk there's still a life there that needs to have a chance to live," Thornesly said.
Right to Life Indianapolis and Stand for Life Indiana held two separate rallies on the Statehouse south lawn.
The later Stand for Line rally of about 100 abortion rights opponents was overpowered by abortion rights supporters who marched in as the event began. Speakers were drowned out as chants of “my body, my choice” and “pro-life is a lie” dominated.
Tensions were high as state police formed a line between the crowd and speakers but the event stayed peaceful.
One woman's abortion story:
The moment isn’t lost on Fishers resident Veronica Hamilton, who already had a son to take care of when she chose to have an abortion in 2019.
She got pregnant at 18, and 8 months after her son was born, she and her son’s father split. She said she was sick most of the pregnancy, and it interfered with her ability to work.
"And I was also in a really bad relationship at the time," she said. "But in that moment, I did want my baby and I wanted to move forward with the pregnancy.”
When she got pregnant again, she was in a stable relationship with her now husband. They’d already agreed they didn’t want to have any biological children and then her oral contraceptives failed.
CDC data shows 60 percent of people who have abortions are already parents.
"Having a baby in that moment, would have greatly affected our abilities to accomplish other things in our lives," she said. "One of them being, I had just switched careers, and I was in a really important transitionary period where I knew I could not afford to take a leave of absence.”
Hamilton hasn’t shared her personal story until now, but the dismantling of Roe v. Wade pushed her to speak out. She hopes doing so will help destigmatize the conversation.
“And also I want people to realize all kinds of different people need abortion care," Hamilton said. "Someone you know and love has had an abortion, or will need one.”
Last Friday, when the Supreme Court decision was announced was an emotional day for Hamilton.
“My initial reaction was just grief and sadness and shock. But at the same time, it quickly turned to anger, anger and resolve and needing to do something about it.”
She wants Indiana lawmakers to know a majority of people don’t support an abortion ban. A 2019 Ball State Survey shows just 17 percent of Hoosiers think abortion should be illegal in all cases.
Holcomb this month called for a special legislative session to approve a tax rebate. Friday he said abortion access should be addressed too. Statehouse Republicans have yet to say how far they’ll try to restrict abortion rights and if they'll allow exceptions, such as in cases of rape.
