Protesters march to show pro-choice support in Windsor in light of Roe v. Wade decision

A group of roughly 100 protesters marched along Windsor’s waterfront to show their pro-choice support Saturday afternoon following the overturning of Roe vs. Wade in the United States.

On Friday, roughly 50 Windsor-area residents gathered in front of Windsor City Hall to show their support for the right to choose.

“It shouldn't be something that we have to worry about being taken away,” Dave Noel said. “It should be a fundamental right.”

Noel joined others in attendance with homemade signs to show solidarity.

“It's a very important topic that shouldn't be frowned upon for bringing up,” Noel explained. “It's a very important thing for me that more people know that abortion is a medical procedure that is important to have in society.”

Back-to-back pro-choice rallies were held in Windsor, Ont. with one on Saturday, July 9, 2022. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)Those like Riley Griffin are concerned that what’s taking place stateside could become a reality in Canada.

“Banning abortions is not going to ban them, it's just going to ban the safe ones and we're about to see the effects of that all over the US,” Griffin told CTV News.

“The US and Canada are so closely related that if things are happening there, are people are gonna start talking about them here? It makes me angry because people deserve the right to choose what to do with their own bodies.”

“It's not just important for me, but it's important because of the fact that I'm moving to the states soon to be with my fiancee,” said Orion King who made a point to attend Saturday’s rally.

King explained she is a heart transplant recipient and is concerned after making plans to move to America to be with loved ones.

Back-to-back pro-choice rallies were held in Windsor, Ont. with one on Saturday, July 9, 2022. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)“I may very well have to deal with the possibility of having to go through various situations that could very well put my health at risk,” she said.

“You can believe whatever you want. I'm not going to tell you to believe differently in your own religion. Just don't force that on the other people.”

Theatre practitioner Samantha Lillian attended both Windsor rallies, while preparing for a pro-choice play on Aug. 19 at Rockstar Music Hall.

“It’s not right.” Lillian exclaimed. “And the fact that in the States, they are now able to make it illegal, has really pushed a lot of us to feel very fired up and passionate about this and making sure that it doesn't come to Canada.”