Hundreds protest in Provo to demand abortion rights

PROVO, Utah – A crowd of roughly 300 people gathered in Provo Saturday night to demand abortion rights, following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

“We knew they were going to do this,” said Kelli Potter to supporters at Pioneer Park. “They were going to overturn Roe v. Wade.”

Potter is an organizer with the Provo chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

The group has organized several demonstrations since the leaked decision came out in early May.

“Protesting in the streets, to a large extent, that’s the thing that gets things passed,” Potter said. “That’s what passed the Civil Rights Act was the civil rights movement. Without it, the Kennedys weren’t interested in passing it.”

Pioneer Park in Provo: Kelli Potter with the Party for Socialism and Liberation addressing the crowd. #abortionrights pic.twitter.com/gBDuZK6kbx

— Michael Locklear (@MichaelLocklear) June 25, 2022

Leading the march down Center Street to the Utah County Historic Courthouse was Chloe Sokol, 19, who spoke openly about having an abortion recently. She said she started feeling ill and found out she was pregnant last month, despite being on birth control.

“I cannot financially, mentally or physically support a child right now,” she said, adding: “It’s not a fun experience. No one ever wants to be put in this position. I was very scared.”

Sokol would’ve gone to another state had the abortion decision happened a month earlier.

“It would’ve been so much harder,” she said, “and the process would’ve been a lot more draining.”

Across the street from the demonstration was Curt Crosby, an entrepreneur who sells honey. He didn’t know about the protest but said he’s supportive of Utah’s abortion ban, calling it “long overdue.”

“You can’t kill people,” he said. “There’s a thing called the Ten Commandments, and it says ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ It doesn’t mean just kill old people or certain ages.”

Sokol worries about what may come next, like a rise in unsafe abortions.

“I feel like it will cause a lot of women to be in a lot of pain,” she said.