Women’s March protesters representing four states immediately affected by the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade climbed a Northeast D.C. crane Tuesday, revealing a banner that called on President Joe Biden to protect abortion rights.
The climbers unveiled the “Biden: Protect Abortion” banner at 7 a.m., an hour before they displayed it at the top of the crane.
Julie Farris, of Ohio, was one of the four that hung the banner shortly hours before being arrested. In a statement, she dedicated the act to her mother, whom she called “an adamantly pro-choice social worker.”
“We are whole humans. My mother knew this, and I know this. And that’s why I am here today, to put my body on the front lines to protect these rights for all of us,” Farris said. “In loving memory of my mother, I choose to be ungovernable.”
Rachel O’Leary Carmona, executive director of the Women’s March, called on the president to use the power of his office to “fight to protect the women” that got him elected.
“You have the power to codify reproductive rights through executive action and you have the power to expand the court,” Carmona said in the statement. “Use it and stop hiding from your own shadow.”
Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra told The Associated Press that the administration is looking at every option available in order to aid women in accessing abortion. However, he admitted that there is “no magic bullet” that will solve this problem.
“If there is something we can do, we will find it and we will do it at HHS,” Becerra said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
