US Supreme Court Strikes Down Right To Abortion

The US Supreme Court on Friday struck down the right to abortion in a seismic ruling that shreds half a century of constitutional protections on one of America's most divisive issues

Washington, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jun, 2022 ) :The US Supreme Court on Friday struck down the right to abortion in a seismic ruling that shreds half a century of constitutional protections on one of America's most divisive issues.

The conservative-dominated court overturned the landmark 1973 "Roe v. Wade" decision enshrining a woman's right to an abortion, saying individual states can restrict or ban the procedure themselves -- which half appear poised to do.

"The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion," the court said in a 6-3 decision. "The authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives." A somber President Joe Biden called the ruling a "tragic error" stemming from "extreme ideology" and said it was a "sad day for the court and the country." "The health and life of women in this nation are now at risk," Biden said, warning that other rights could be threatened next, such as same-sex marriage and contraception.

The Democratic president urged Congress to restore abortion protections as Federal law and said Roe will be "on the ballot" in midterm elections in November.

Hundreds of people -- some weeping for joy and others with grief -- gathered outside the fenced-off Supreme Court as the ruling came down.

"It's hard to imagine living in a country that does not respect women as human beings and their right to control their bodies," said Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat, 49, a mother of two daughters who was choking back tears.

But Gwen Charles, a 21-year-old opponent of abortion, was jubilant.

"This is the day that we have been waiting for," Charles told AFP. "We get to usher in a new culture of life in the United States." The Supreme Court ruling will likely set into motion a cavalcade of new laws in roughly half of the 50 US states that will severely restrict or outright ban and criminalize abortions, forcing women to travel long distances to states that still permit the procedure.

Just hours later, Missouri banned abortion -- making no exception for rape or incest -- and so did South Dakota, except where the life of the mother is at risk.

"This is a monumental day for the sanctity of life," Missouri attorney general Eric Schmitt said.