Women’s March against anti-abortion bills shuts down Downtown Orlando streets

On Saturday, Oct. 2 protestors gathered for the Abortion Access Rally in Downtown Orlando to demanded continued access to abortion. 

The Abortion Access Rally was part of the nationwide protests that took place after Florida lawmakers filed a similar proposal to the Texas law limiting abortions last month. 

State Rep. Webster Barnaby filed the proposal in September that aims to follow Texas’ lead in blocking physicians from performing abortions if there is a “detectable fetal heartbeat.”

The "Florida Heartbeat Act" proposal would require doctors to test for fetal heartbeats, which can occur six weeks into pregnancy. If heartbeats are detected, doctors “may not knowingly perform or induce an abortion” on pregnant women, under the proposal.

The rally met at Orlando's City Hall for a speaker program that included representatives of Equality Florida, the Florida Access Network, the Black Health Commission and Planned Parenthood. 

State Rep. Anna Eskamani was also in attendance. 

“Florida Republicans have awakened the state by their gross, anti-reproductive health agenda,” said Eskamani. “All people should be able to get reproductive healthcare that meets their needs throughout their lives and we’ll be making that message clear in the streets and in the Florida Legislature.”

More than one thousand protestors shut down the streets of Downtown Orlando to show their support.