SAN ANTONIO – In a call to protect a woman’s right to choose, South Texans are making their voices heard.
As leaked documents raise concerns that the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade, Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzalez addressed the abortion battle on social media.
RELATED: Bexar County DA says he won’t prosecute personal health care decisions
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will not change my commitment as Bexar County DA to continue to fight for a woman’s right to make reproductive decisions about her own body. https://t.co/90niD91eFB
— Joe D. Gonzales (@gonzales4da) May 3, 2022
Gonzales also attended a protest at the new federal courthouse on Tuesday evening to assure people of his stance.
”Make it known to the people in power, to SCOTUS, to the judges, to the governor, anybody that wants to ban abortion, that we are here, that we’re gonna fight, that we’re ready to fight,” said Barbie Hurtado, a pro-abortion rights protester.
”Right now, today, abortion is still legal, and they still have a chance to change their minds. They still have a chance to change their votes and not strike down this constitutional right,” protester Jules Vaquera added.
The message from the large crowd was stern and clear -- women have the right to choose.
Protest happening outside of the federal courthouse now at Nueva and Santa Rosa. The group demanding abortion rights stay intact following a leaked SCOTUS draft opinion to strike down Roe V Wade @ksatnews pic.twitter.com/rvuD1gIsqp
— Leigh Waldman (@LeighWaldman) May 3, 2022
”You can both have a family with young children, and choose to have children and be for abortion choice,” said Sarah and Evan Johnson, pro-choice protesters.
The couple brought their two daughters with them to the protest. They’re too young to understand what’s happening now, but their parents say they know it will impact their lives.
“Women should have the right to choose when and how and under what circumstances they want to have families, and abortion is an absolute vital part of that,” Sarah Johnson said.
Dyana Limon-Mercado, executive director of Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, called the draft opinion an attack on women.
“We are at a crisis moment for abortion access in our country. The right to abortion is being crushed and has been for some time in Texas,” Limon-Mercado said.
Not everyone agrees, however. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick tweeted his approval of the draft opinion.
Abortion will be banned in Texas if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.
— Dan Patrick (@DanPatrick) May 3, 2022
Read my official statement here: https://t.co/jPFbi7Yqiy pic.twitter.com/93tFRTKBGS
As of Monday evening, KSAT 12′s emails for comment to Gov. Greg Abbott and San Antonio Coalition for Life have not been answered.
Other Republican leaders, such as Senator Ted Cruz, sounded off on the leak itself rather than the content of the draft.
”Whoever did this leak should be prosecuted and should go to jail for a very long time,” Cruz said.
The draft opinion does not ensure Roe v. Wade would be struck down. But it does have other groups fearful of the precedent this might set for laws allowing the right to birth control and same-sex marriage.
The high court’s decision is expect in late June or early July.
RELATED ON KSAT.COM
Abortion remains legal in Texas, but confusion reigns after Supreme Court document leak
Draft opinion suggests Supreme Court could overturn Roe v. Wade, report says
If Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, Texas will completely ban abortion