Thousands of people who oppose abortion rights were at the state Capitol Wednesday.
The right to abortion has been a flashpoint in Virginia politics ever since the United States Supreme Court eliminated constitutional protections. On Wednesday, thousands of people came to Richmond to call for abortion rights to be rolled back or repealed altogether.
"Women who terminate a fetus are not giving that person a right to exercise their rights," said Gary Metzinger of Chester.
"If we can kill unborn people on one end before they’re even born, we can start on the other end – euthanasia – and say you're too old. We're going to terminate you and you'll just squeeze it into the middle for the convenience of the healthy."
Francis Moyer drove three hours from Winchester to be at the march.
"Millions of women are suffering from guilt and psychological problems because of abortion," Moyer said. "And the others have hardened their hearts because we are destroying motherhood, the joys of motherhood, the responsibilities of motherhood and a fatherhood."
On the campaign trail, Democrats said they would stand in the way of any effort to roll back abortion rights, though a process to consider a state constitutional amendment ensuring that right won’t begin until next year.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
