By MAKAYLA KEATING
Staff writer
Nearly 100 people gathered in downtown Franklin late Wednesday afternoon to protest the Supreme Court’s ruling last month that overturned Roe v. Wade and stripped away women’s protections for abortions.
The protesters, many from the area and others from a little farther away, mainly gathered near the courthouse and in Fountain Park. Others were stationed across the street.
The peaceful protest was organized by the Planned Parenthood and Women’s March organizations and was supported by the Oil Region Rising Indivisible group and the Venango County Democratic Party.
Ralph Montgomery, an Oil Region Rising co-founder, said he was impressed with the turnout and was “happy to see men out here, too.”
Ashley Smith, vice chairman of the Venango County Democratic Party, said “this is not just a one-party issue or just a female issue. We’re showing outrage to the Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade and 50 years of precedence.”
Smith also noted that “women aren’t the only ones under attack, but also members of the LGBTQ+ community and more. The main point is that in the opinion of (Supreme Court justice) Clarence Thomas, he invited multiple challenges to our rights at the Supreme Court level.”
Ricci O’Neil, of Oil City, was at the protest and said she is passionate about the cause because “we don’t deserve to go back to the 1950s. We deserve to have our choice.”
Another protester, who didn’t want to be identified, said she feels strongly about the issue because “we’re women, and we need our rights.”
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