Solidarity protest for right to abortion in Amsterdam Saturday

There will be a solidarity demonstration in favor of the abortion law on Dam Square in Amsterdam on Saturday. It comes after news this week that the United States may abolish its federal abortion law. The demonstration will start at 1 p.m. and is supported, among others, by Amnesty International, knowledge center Rutgers, Women Inc., and the organization behind the Dutch Women's March.

The organization expects thousands of protesters. Members of Parliament Corinne Ellemeet (GroenLinks), director of Rutgers Marieke van der Plas, and D66 MEP Samira Rafaela will speak at Dam Square, along with several others. The municipality of Amsterdam says it is aware of the demonstration.

"It is unimaginable that the right to abortion, which has been fought so hard for, is now at stake again," said Annemieke van Straalen, one of the organizers of the demonstration. "Abortion right is a human right, but it is by no means self-evident."

Thousands of people took to the streets in the United States this past week to protest the Supreme Court's draft decision to abolish the federal right to abortion. If the draft decision is made final, each state would be allowed to legislate separately on abortion. For example, the governor of Oklahoma signed a law Tuesday evening banning abortion after six weeks.