Abortion is now banned in Mississippi
Demonstrators in front of the Jackson clinic
© AFP
After the controversial abortion decision of the US Supreme Court, abortions are now also banned in Mississippi – and thus in a total of seven states. To protest or to celebrate the “historic day,” abortion supporters and opponents gathered Thursday outside Jackson’s famed Pink House Women’s Hospital. This was at the center of the legal dispute that ultimately led to the repeal of the nationwide fundamental right to abortion.
The Jackson Women’s Health Organization is also known across the country as the Pink House because of the color of the building. It was the only facility offering abortions in conservative Mississippi. While opponents and supporters of abortions demonstrated in front of the building, only aftercare appointments were made in it on Thursday. The last interventions were carried out on Wednesday – from Thursday they were no longer allowed anywhere in Mississippi.
The clinic was at the center of the legal battle that ultimately led to the repeal of the country’s fundamental right to abortion. The Jackson Women’s Health Organization had challenged a Mississippi law banning abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy in violation of the 1973 Roe v. Wade landmark ruling. This had enshrined a fundamental right to abortions up to about the 24th week of pregnancy.
On June 24, however, the US Supreme Court with its conservative majority declared the law in Mississippi to be constitutional – and at the same time overturned “Roe v. Wade”. The decision of the Supreme Court is considered a historic turning point and caused a political earthquake. Because there is no federal law on abortion, states can now largely or completely ban abortion.
In Mississippi, a law came into force on Thursday that is even stricter than the 15-week law. It bans all abortions with a few exceptions and provides for prison sentences of up to ten years for violations. The abortion clinic in Jackson had tried to have this law blocked by a court, but failed on Tuesday and is now closing.