Hundreds gather in Philadelphia 'Bans off our Bodies' rally

CENTER CITY - Hundreds rallied at Philadelphia City Hall Saturday, defending abortion rights.

The ‘Bans off our Bodies’ Women’s March and Rally was held as a response to a leaked draft opinion that the United States Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 landmark abortion ruling.

Incensed after the leaked draft opinion suggested the court's conservative majority would overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling, activists spoke of the need to mobilize quickly because Republican-led states are poised to enact tighter restrictions.

The mood was one of anger and defiance, three days after the Senate failed to muster enough votes to codify Roe v. Wade.

The high court is expected to make its official decision on abortion rights in June.

RELATED HEADLINES:

• This is where abortion will likely be illegal if Roe v. Wade is overturned
• Conservative states look to eliminate all exceptions for abortion, including rape, incest
• Next battle over access to abortion will focus on pills amid Roe v. Wade leak
• Federal appeals court lets Texas temporarily resume strict abortion law
• Oklahoma House sends Texas-style abortion ban to governor

Rallies were held in the region, while hundreds were held across the United States.

From Pittsburgh to Pasadena, California, and Nashville, Tennessee, to Lubbock, Texas, tens of thousands participated in events, where chants of "Bans off our bodies!" and "My body, my choice!" rang out. The gatherings were largely peaceful, but in some cities there were tense confrontations between people on opposing sides of the issue.

Polls show that most Americans want to preserve access to abortion — at least in the earlier stages of pregnancy — but the Supreme Court appeared to be poised to let the states have the final say. If that happens, roughly half of states, mostly in the South and Midwest, are expected to quickly ban abortion.