Activists Rally to Stop Abortion Bans

RIO GRANDE – Local activists gathered in Rio Grande May 21 for a ‘Stop the Bans’ abortion rights rally.
According to a release, the event was organized by Cape May County Indivisible. About 40 people lined the intersection of Routes 9 and 47.
They held signs and chanted, “Our civil rights are under attack, what do we do? Fight back.” People honked as they passed in their cars. The group gathered in response to the recent abortion bans popping up in states like Georgia, Ohio, and Alabama.
Cassandra Gatelein, one of the organizers, held a sign that declared, ‘My body is not property of the government.”
She walked around recording a ‘constituent voices’ video to send to U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-2nd) and other elected officials. Gatelein stated, “Our rights are under attack, and we need them to speak up against these abortion bans and defend our reproductive freedom.”
Shannon McDevitt stated, “I’d appreciate it if our Congressman Jeff Van Drew would publicly voice that he is, in fact, a supporter of women’s reproductive rights and pro-choice. We need our elected officials to stand with us. Abortion rights affect us all.”
Shayla Woolfort stated, “Abortion has been around as long as pregnancy and these bans will only stop safe abortion. I wish these politicians would invest their energy in promoting free contraception and accurate sex education. But the fact that they don’t support either of those things just goes to show you this is more about control over women.”
Though the crowd was mostly women, there were about six men who attended to show support for women’s rights.
Jack Kammer, a local veteran, stated, “I fought so that we could have these freedoms in this country. What’s happening now is atrocious. This is a war on women.”
Hundreds of similar rallies and protests took place across the country, as this event was part of a nationwide day of action, sponsored by organizations such as American Civil Liberties Union, Indivisible, MoveOn, Planned Parenthood, and others.