ORLANDO, Fla. – Pro-choice supporters started off Independence Day at the Orange County Courthouse holding up signs and chanting “my body, my choice.”
“Being quiet no longer works. This is actually my first time participating in a event like this and I’m here because if I don’t fight for my rights, who is,” Kayla Torres said.
Florida’s new abortion law went into effect on July 1, which bans most abortions at 15 weeks, though Judge John C. Cooper of the Second Judicial Circuit Court in Tallahassee ruled the law is unconstitutional.
He’s expected to file a written order blocking it this week.
“I’m so grateful for that decision but I also know that this is a long fight there’s not easy fix to protect abortion access in this country or in Florida,” said Anna Eskamani, Orlando representative and former Planned Parenthood senior director.
Gov. Ron DeSantis though vowed to appeal the ruling during a stop in Central Florida last week.
“We knew that that was likely going to be what was decided in that case. We knew that we were going to have to move forward and continue the legal battle on that,” DeSantis said.
Despite the turnout on Monday, pro-life supporters also came out to spread their message.
“The devil comes to kill, steal, and destroy,” a protester said.