Attorney General Merrick Garland is warning that the Justice Department will “not tolerate” violence in the wake of a major Supreme Court decision involving abortion.
In a statement Friday, Garland wrote, “Today the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey and held that the right to abortion is no longer protected by the Constitution.”
“The Supreme Court has eliminated an established right that has been an essential component of women’s liberty for half a century – a right that has safeguarded women’s ability to participate fully and equally in society,” the statement continued. “The Justice Department strongly disagrees with the Court’s decision.”
He added, “It will have an immediate and irreversible impact on the lives of people across the country. And it will be greatly disproportionate in its effect.”
Garland went on to note that the decision “does not eliminate the ability of states to keep abortion legal” and argued that women should be allowed to travel to states where abortion is legal.
Finally, Garland said, “Advocates with different views on this issue have the right to, and will, voice their opinions. Peacefully expressing a view is protected by the First Amendment.”
“But we must be clear that violence and threats of violence are not. The Justice Department will not tolerate such acts,” he added.
Read the statement below:
Full Merrick Garland statement: pic.twitter.com/6JyuBAHhX9
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On Friday, U.S Supreme Court voted to overturn the landmark abortion decision Roe v. Wade as well as Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
Five conservative justices voted in favor of the decision, while Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the court’s three liberal justices in the dissent.
The majority opinion, penned by Justice Samuel Alito, says, “Abortion presents a profound moral question. The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion.”
“Roe and Casey arrogated that authority. We now overrule those decisions and return that authority to the people and their elected representatives,” it added.
A separate portion of the decision stated, “Held: The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives.”
The decision is likely to generate significant outrage among pro-choice activists, some of whom have called for a “summer of rage” if Roe was overturned.
In a post on the website Abolition Media, a “communique” claiming to be from pro-abortion group Jane’s Revenge claimed credit for incidents of vandalism or arson that targeted pro-life organizations such as crisis pregnancy centers.
It also warned, “From here forward, any anti-choice group who closes their doors, and stops operating will no longer be a target. But until you do, it’s open season, and we know where your operations are. The infrastructure of the enslavers will not survive.”
“We will never stop, back down, slow down, or retreat. We did not want this; but it is upon us, and so we must deal with it proportionally…Through attacking, we find joy, courage, and strip the veneer of impenetrability held by these violent institutions,” it added.
