Hundreds protest at Ohio Statehouse after six week abortion ban becomes law

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Mere hours after the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, deciding that abortion is not a constitutional right, Ohio banned abortions after six weeks.

Around 500 peaceful protesters flooded the outside of the Statehouse building around 6 p.m. Many held signs with pro-choice sayings like, "my body my choice," "abortion is health care" and "laws off my body."

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There were many creative signs, but due to profanity, they can't be listed or shown on News 5.

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“The fact that I have to be out here protesting at such a young age for my future is kind of disgusting,” Clea Saed told News 5 Statehouse reporter Morgan Trau.

The 14-year-old came with Lauren Haskins, 13, to speak out against the SCOTUS decision and the abortion ban.

"I am going into the eighth grade, I want a future where I can decide," Haskins added.

The pair were joined by Clea's mom, Maha Ahmad.

"I did have an abortion once, I actually did it three times," Ahmad said. "I'm not ashamed of it, because it's not an easy decision to make. It's very difficult decision to make and they are just making it worse and they are making it more difficult for all women out there."

While in the Middle East, the mother had to have abortions to save her family.

"They can't just make laws based on religion, that's forcing religion on everyone," she added. "If I said something there, I would get killed — but I'm definitely saying something here."

Many individuals came up to News 5 to share their stories, including Samantha Davis.

"I was told that I would die if I were to get pregnant again," Davis said.

Her daughter, held by her husband, was holding a sign that read, "my mommy would have died trying to give me a sibling."

"Most people don't even know that there is a pregnancy at six weeks," the mother said. "I was eight weeks when I found out I was pregnant with her."

Knowing what she knows now about Ohio law, and if with her second pregnancy, she wouldn't have been able to get the care she would need.

Her husband, Nick, chose to get a vasectomy.

Marquisha Traylor had tears in her eyes at work when she found out the news, she said.

"I've had a couple of abortions before," Traylor said.

She now has birth control in her arm, but wasn't able to get it then.

"I know there aren't people who can get it like me and it's not fair for them to not have that option," she said.

Traylor is a healthcare worker and added that the people she sees don't even know or suspect they are pregnant until way later than 5-6 weeks. But, it is more than just that, for her.

"It's a lot of hypocrisy that's going on," she said. "Where it's like, 'oh, no, you can't have an abortion, you could put them up for adoption.'"

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"You don't adopt the babies. Who are the people that are going to take on these kids? Like all these people are like, 'oh, no pro-life, have the baby.' Are you gonna take care of the kids?" she asked of pro-life people. "No, you're not going to take care of the kids."

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All of these protesters have the same view: no one knows what is going on in someone’s life.

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People may choose to have an abortion for many reasons — whether it is because of a life-threatening illness, they were raped, they couldn't afford kids, or just simply: They wanted to. No one should need a sob story to get access to health care, protesters said.

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"We won't go back!" they yelled, marching down the Columbus streets.

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