After ‘Roe v. Wade’ is overturned, Philadelphians protest and Pa. and N.J. officials vow abortion will remain legal

It came as no surprise, since it may have been the worst-kept secret in the history of the U.S. Supreme Court. But the seemingly inevitable did nothing to cap an eruption of outrage among local abortion-rights supporters and jubilation among antiabortion activists over Friday’s historic ruling overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.

Thousands gathered at City Hall early Friday evening to rail against the 6-3 vote that nullified the federal constitutional abortion protections the high court affirmed way back on Jan. 22, 1973.

As Penny Baker, 71, slowly made her way to the protest, she was asked by younger women passing her: “Can you believe you have to do this again?” Demonstrations also were held in Media, Cherry Hill, and elsewhere, and more are planned Saturday.

» READ MORE: How the ruling might affect Pennsylvania clinics

As for the immediate effects, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware officials reiterated that abortions would remain legal in their states. But in the wake of the high court ruling, local providers were preparing for fallout — in the form of protests and increased demand from other states, more than 25 of which are expected to ban abortions or further limit access.

Doctors and patient advocates said they were concerned about a return to the days of unsafe, underground abortions, and abortion-rights supporters cite data showing that the bans would adversely affect people of color.

“This is a cruel and unjust decision that will strip health care away from millions of people across the nation,” said Melissa Reed, CEO of Planned Parenthood Keystone, which operates clinics in eastern Pennsylvania. “We have protesters celebrating outside our clinics while our patients are inside trying to access abortion care.”

Antiabortion activists, such as Ashley Garecht, executive board member of Pro-Life Union of Greater Philadelphia, hailed the decision. “This is an amazing day,” she said. “This is something that five, 10 years ago — I didn’t know I’d see this day.”

» READ MORE: What you need to know about the Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling and the future of abortion rights

In keeping with the Catholic Church’s position, Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson Pérez said he was “grateful” for the ruling, saying it “affirms the deep value inherent to every human life.” Church leaders in some other denominations made similar statements.

Garecht said antiabortion forces would turn their attention to changes in Pennsylvania state law “to make abortion illegal.” State House Republicans said “discussions around possible changes are already underway.”

Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat who has said he would veto any bill restricting abortion rights, said Friday that “as long as I am governor, I vow to protect abortion access and reproductive health care in Pennsylvania.”

Across the river, fellow Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said he looked forward to working with legislative leadership to strengthen abortion-rights laws in the state.

“Unlike the United States Supreme Court, New Jersey will always stand on the side of our women,” said Murphy. “We will never stand between them and their doctors.”

The high court ruling — the subject of an unprecedented leak six weeks ago — is likely to be hotly discussed during Pennsylvania’s election campaigns.

Republican gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano has said he would ban abortion at conception with no exceptions, including to save the life of the pregnant person. Pennsylvania currently allow abortions through 24 weeks of pregnancy. His Democratic opponent, Josh Shapiro, has said he would veto any restrictive bill.

» READ MORE: Supreme Court’s abortion ruling puts spotlight on Pa. governor and state legislative races

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said his office would not prosecute anyone seeking abortions, and would “protect reproductive rights in Philadelphia from authoritarian efforts to criminalize patients and medical providers of reproductive care.”

» READ MORE: Outside Philly and Pittsburgh, it can be as hard to get an abortion in Pa. as in Mississippi

Mayor Jim Kenney underscored that abortions remain legal in Pennsylvania and a right in Philadelphia, and said the city is “determined to do everything in our power to protect this right and support anyone affected by the Supreme Court’s decision.”

“If you are sad, scared, or angry, I want you to know that you are not alone and this fight isn’t over,” Kenney said.

Of the high court’s decision, Elicia Gonzales, executive director of the Abortion Liberation Fund of PA, said: “This kind of action is obviously going to increase the stigma and shame for people who have abortions and those who support them.”

Noah Heple, pastor of Fishtown’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Atonement, said he was concerned about the decision’s “cascading effect” on the “dignity and humanity of a variety of people that have been sidelined or oppressed.”

People of color are more likely than white people to get an abortion, and are disproportionately affected by barriers to care, such as cost, travel distance, and time off from work.

» READ MORE: Who gets abortions in Pennsylvania, according to the data

Immigrant-advocate groups said the decision could force undocumented women who live in states that ban abortions to risk arrest and deportation by traveling to seek abortion care.

The Philadelphia LGBTQ Bar Association said that given the court’s conservative majority, the justices might turn to issues that could roll back LGBTQ rights. The association said it agreed with the three dissenting justices “who presciently write, ‘we cannot understand how anyone can be confident that today’s opinion will be the last of its kind.’ ”

At the City Hall rally, Baker said she was compelled to “hobble” over to support the next generation of people who would have to live with the consequences of the Roe reversal. ”Women are going to be driven to get an abortion any way they can,” she said.

Earlier in the day, a 67-year-old Center City woman said she took a walk past the Planned Parenthood headquarters in Center City to “blow off steam.”

“This is horrendous,” said the woman, who declined to give her name. In 1973, she said, she “had no choice but to have an abortion.”

Of the Supreme Court’s reversal, she said, “Never in my lifetime did I expect this to happen — ever.”

Inquirer staff writers Chris Brennan, Jeff Gammage, Oona Goodin-Smith, Katie Krzaczek, Max Marin, Robert Moran, Anna Orso, Kasturi Pananjady, Ellie Rushing, Henry Savage, and Julia Terruso contributed to this article.