800 March Through Waikiki to Stop the Supreme Court from Taking Away Abortion Rights!

On Saturday, May 14, 17,000 people marched with Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights in 12 cities to STOP the Supreme Court from taking away the right to abortion and many thousands more marched in more than 450 cities and town to defend abortion rights.  The day of protest was called for by Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights as well as more mainstream organizations like Planned Parenthood, the Women’s March, and MoveOn. These powerful demonstrations, taken as a whole, made unmistakable the potential for people to really rise up and wage relentless, determined struggle to actually force the Supreme Court to back down. 

The Honolulu protest was organized by a small group of volunteers with Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights Hawai`i and was supported and promoted by many other individuals and organizations. 

The Rally was scheduled to begin at 4:45 but people began to arrive by 3:15 – and they kept coming!   They crowded the Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights and Planned Parenthood tables, compared their signs and shared their personal stories and their fears.  Many came with hand-written signs – signs that expressed their anger, their concerns and
 their irreverence.  Many wore green and and wore green bandanas (the international symbol for abortion rights).  

When the rally began there were hundreds who listened intently to talks by three strong youth organizers along with representatives from Indivisible, League of Women Voters, an outraged woman, and a Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights leader. 



By the time the march began, the crowd had swelled to about 800 and stretched for blocks as we headed along Kalakaua to Lewers.  



  





Waikiki was packed!  A block party had attracted hundreds to food booths and a live music stage.  Restaurants were crowded with diners. Tourists came out to their lanais to watch.  Everywhere people waved, clapped, chanted along, and raised their phones to take photos.. Here we weren't just marching for ourselves and each other.  Instead we were reaching thousands of people from Hawai`i, from across the U.S. and around the world.  











Saturday we saw the potential of winning millions of people to fight.  ONLY THE PEOPLE - IN OUR MILLIONS - CAN WIN THE BATTLE FOR ABORTION RIGHTS!

However, one-off protests, no matter how large, are not going to stop the Supreme Court from overturning Roe.  Resistance has to be every day, constantly growing in numbers and determination, until millions rise up and shut down business as usual.   It's going to be hard and it must take many forms:  putting up signs, banners and stickers, holding cultural events, protesting in the streets, posting to social media, and talking with everyone we know until we can stop business as usual and force the officials (including the Supreme Court) to save Roe.  

What's Next? 

This Thursday, May 19, WEAR GREEN!  If you're a student, WALK OUT!  
Then at 3pm Come together at Thomas Square between 3-5
to hold our signs, share our stories, meet others, and put together materials!
Pick up those green stickers to get up everywhere.
Come for the entire time or drop in for a few minutes - but come!

Get ready to for May 26!

 






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