About 300 people, who were mostly women, marched in downtown Long Beach, as part of the protests in dozens of cities across the United States and dubbed “Bigger than Roe” by the organizers, on Jan. 22, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade, which the Supreme Court overturned last year.
The supporters of abortion rights marched from Victory Park, 448 E. Ocean Blvd., where they heard a few speeches, to the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse, 275 Magnolia Ave., where they heard more speeches from some local activists and many locally elected Democratic Party officials.
Newly elected U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia, who is a former mayor of Long Beach, spoke. The congressman first asked for a minute of silence in response to the murder of mostly elderly Chinese-Americans, the previous day in Monterey Park, about 30 miles north of Long Beach. The former mayor said, “(T)he Republicans in congress are absolutely insane … They are not just working every day to diminish women, to take away the rights of people. They are working to attack trans-people, to attacking young people, people who are unhoused (and) immigrants.”
Leila Byron, who was at the courthouse waiting for the marchers to arrive, said that she believed in civil rights for everyone and that women’s rights are not being respected. Byron added that while it is true the movement is focused on abortion rights, it also wants to pass the Equal Rights Amendment. Later, she said, “I believe women’s rights should be nonpartisan.” Byron said her mother, who was born in Lebanon and died last year, said her mother was secular and was pro-choice.
The march was organized by Long Beach / Orange County Women Rising.
Barry Saks 