People on both sides of the abortion issue showed up for demonstrations in Ottawa’s Washington Square Thursday afternoon. Stand With Planned Parenthood Ottawa postponed the event from Saturday because of a rainy forecast. That gave an informal group of abortion opponents time to be their with their own signs. People driving down LaSalle St. saw the opponents first and then about the same number of abortion rights supporters.
Nicole O’Shea, one of the abortion rights supporters, says the abortion restrictions in Texas are a big step backward. While she felt somewhat like celebrating because a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on the law Wednesday night, she wanted people driving by to know that women are affected.
Andrew Moore, with the abortion opponents, says the Texas law is the result of democracy. He says abortion is a human rights abuse.
Some drivers honked for one group, some for the other, and some for both. There were about 15 people in each group.
Abortion opponents were on the north end of the block facing LaSalle St.
Abortion rights supporters were in the middle to the south end of the block.