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Hundreds protest Louisiana’s passage of ‘heartbeat’ bill

Hundreds protest Louisiana's passage of 'heartbeat' bill | iNFOnews.ca
Sen. John Milkovich, D-Shreveport, and Rep. Valarie Hodges, R-Denham Springs, right, embrace after speaking to the media outside the State Capitol, Wednesday, May 29, 2019, in Baton Rouge, La., after the House passed Milkovich's 'fetal heartbeat' bill that would ban abortions at about six weeks of pregnancy, if upheld by the courts, sending it to the governor's desk without exceptions for victims of rape and incest. Hodges handled the bill on the House side for its passage there. (Travis Spradling/The Advocate via AP)

BATON ROUGE, La. – Hundreds of demonstrators filed into the Louisiana state capitol a day after lawmakers passed a strict new abortion ban that Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards has signed into law.

Many on Thursday wore bright pink T-shirts reading “We Stand With Planned Parenthood” on the front and “We Won’t Back Down” on the back, in protest of the so-called heartbeat bill. The measure bars abortions once there’s a detectable fetal heartbeat, as early as the sixth week of pregnancy.

Demonstrators, some with babies in tow, filled the Capitol’s lobby even though they couldn’t chant or bring signs inside. Many said policymakers have proven they’re against women and women’s health and said that despite the ban, abortions will continue but just won’t be safe.

Later Thursday, Edwards announced he had signed the measure.

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