A large and vocal crowd of 40-plus demonstrators took to the streets of Port Townsend Friday afternoon to protest the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade — the landmark 1973 ruling to protect a woman’s right to an abortion.

People lined both sides of East Sims Way, holding signs and reacting enthusiastically to the supportive sounds of honking cars passing by.

Outrage over the shocking — but not entirely unexpected — ruling by a conservative-titled Supreme Court — stretched from one coast of the United States to the other.

Following the announcement of the
5-4 decision, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer vowed to push for federal action “to protect reproductive rights.”

The high court voted 6-3 to uphold Mississippi’s Gestational Age Act, the appeal that prompted the historic overturning of Roe.

“Today’s decision by the Supreme Court is outrageous – and tragically, a threat to women’s health everywhere,” Kilmer, Washington’s 6th District congressman, said in a statement.

“We know that at least 25 states are expected to severely limit or ban abortion in the wake of this ruling – and Republicans in even more states, including Washington, will now undoubtedly make efforts to limit access to reproductive health care,” said Kilmer, a Gig Harbor Democrat. “In addition, Republicans in Congress have made clear that they intend to pass a federal abortion ban, putting health and safety at risk.”

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell called the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling “a sledgehammer to the right to privacy.”

“This is a sad and tragic day in America. Millions of Americans are losing their rights to control their own bodies and their own healthcare,” said Cantwell, one of Washington’s two Democratic Party senators.

“Despite decades of Republican Supreme Court nominees coming before the Judiciary Committee and saying that they believe Roe v. Wade is settled law, they have taken a sledgehammer to the right to privacy,” she added.

Although abortion will remain legal in Washington, 20-plus states across the U.S. are likely to ban or have already passed trigger laws, outlawing the medical procedure immediately or within weeks or months of Roe v. Wade being overturned.

Kilmer said women’s reproductive choices should not be made by politicians.

“Let me be clear: Decisions about reproductive health care, including abortions, are best made by women in consultation with their doctors. These deeply personal decisions should not be interfered with or replaced by the judgment of politicians,” Kilmer said. “That’s why I’ve strongly opposed efforts to roll back reproductive rights. It’s why I voted for the Women’s Health Protection Act to enshrine the rights granted under Roe v. Wade into federal law. I’ll keep pushing for federal action to protect reproductive rights.”

Cantwell noted the majority support of Americans for the 1973 Supreme Court decision and called for citizens to vote and exercise their voices in opposition to the recent overturning.

“We know that 70 percent of Americans did not want to see Roe v. Wade overturned. They want these rights upheld. Mainstream Americans have counted on this right, depended on this right, exercised this right, and now several justices on the Supreme Court are going back on their word and upending settled law to take this right away,” Cantwell said.

“I am hopeful that Americans will respond, as we always have when our rights are taken away. The 70 percent of Americans who agree must have their voices heard on the constitutional right to privacy. I’m calling on all Americans who believe in this right to exercise their voice and their vote. Every legislative tool and initiative process should be considered,” she added.

Fear over the future of reproductive rights escalated in early May, when a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion on Roe v. Wade was reported by the website Politico.

With Roe v. Wade being overturned, the status of reproductive rights will be left to the states, with Idaho, Arkansas, Wyoming, and others already passing measures to ban abortions within days or weeks.

“I am deeply concerned about the threat that this decision presents for reproductive freedom and about the potential that this decision could lead to the erosion of further rights that we hold dear. We cannot – and should not – accept a future in which the next generation of Americans have fewer rights than their parents,” Kilmer said.

Washington passed legislation in 1991 to protect women’s reproductive rights.

During a press conference late last week, Gov. Jay Inslee promised to preserve women’s access to their reproductive rights.

Inslee joined with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown to announce the “Multi-State Commitment to Reproductive Freedom,” reiterating their West Coast states’ commitment to aiding women seeking abortions from out of state.

The governors added that their respective states will protect women against other states that could seek criminal prosecution against them for seeking reproductive health care procedures in Washington, Oregon, or California.

“Washington state remains steadfast in our commitment to protecting the ability and right of every patient who comes to our state in need of abortion care, and we will fight like hell to restore that right to patients all across the country,” Inslee said.

“The right of choice should not depend on which party holds the majority, but that’s where we find ourselves.”