Skip to main content
You are the owner of this article.
Edit Article Add New Article
You have permission to edit this article.
Edit

LATEST

Featured

Hundreds gather outside state Capitol to protest overturning of Roe v. Wade

  • Updated
  • 4 min to read
Abortion protest

A protester holds a sign at the Oklahoma state Capitol on June 26, 2022.

Over 700 protesters stood outside the Oklahoma state Capitol Sunday in response to the Supreme Court of the United State’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, eliminating the federal right to abortion and privacy in health care.

The protest, organized by Women’s March Oklahoma and T. Sheri Dickerson, officially began at 1:30 p.m. on June 26. People were already filing onto the scene by 12:30 p.m., lining up along the north side of the building. The south Capitol steps were blocked off by fences.

The rally — “Engage the Rage” — was one of many across the nation in response to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case, which allowed states to legally ban and criminalize abortion. This decision came nearly 50 years after Roe v. Wade, which prohibited legislation from preventing the procedure. 

Harrill

Kali Harrill holds a protest sign and leads the crowd in a chant at the Oklahoma state Capitol on June 26, 2022.

Oklahoma’s trigger law — a policy in place that would create a near-immediate ban on abortion in the state following the overturning of Roe v. Wade — went into effect shortly after the decision was announced. 

After a week of blistering 100-degree heat, the weather had cooled to a high of 86 degrees during the rally. Sound equipment was set up at the top of the steps where multiple speakers took to the microphone. 

Kali Harrill was one of the first to speak to the crowd. From Choctaw, Harrill attends college at the University of Arkansas as a pre-med student. She led various chants, including “Kevin Stitt is a b----. Kevin Stitt can suck a d---” and “Not the church, not the state, women must decide their fate.” 

Harrill felt that leading chants would encourage younger protesters to participate with the rest of the crowd. She said she was particularly encouraged by the number of people from older generations at the protest interacting with people her own age.

“It’s just amazing to me that they are still fighting for their own rights and just make an appearance no matter what,” Harrill said.

Sarah Adams-Cornell delivered a land acknowledgement at the protest. She focused on reminding protesters to fight for the voices that go unheard. Adams-Cornell is the co-founder of Matriarch Non-Profit, an organization focused on educating and supporting Indigenous women and girls. 

She went on to reference the effect the Hyde Amendment had on the reproductive rights for Indigenous people who can become pregnant. The amendment states that “none of the funds in any trust fund to which funds are appropriated in this Act, shall be expended for any abortion” or “for health benefits coverage that includes coverage of abortion,” according to The U.S. Justice Department. 

“If you didn't know about Indian health care, they've been trying to suppress our rights for a minute,” Adams-Cornell said.  

Protesters lifted signs high above their heads, each with a different message. One read, ”Your religion does not govern my uterus.” Another wrote, “I wish my uterus shot bullets so the government wouldn’t regulate it.” Multiple signs depicted the words, “Keep your bans off our bodies.”

A volunteer with Women’s March Oklahoma, Nicole Poindexter, spoke between guests, introducing many of them. One speaker was her son, Scorpius Poindexter. 

ScorpiusPoindexter

Scorpius Poindexter prepares to speak at the "Engage the Rage" rally at the Oklahoma state Capitol on June 26, 2022.

Scorpius spoke about his frustrations surrounding recent legislature that prevents him from participating in sports, accessing gender-affirming care and choosing to have an abortion. He also spoke about his experience with assault by a police officer when he was 8 years old and how difficult it was for him to get help.

“The time to save me from this pain has come and gone,” Scorpius said. “But it’s not too late to save the next generation.”

SummerDrake

Summer Drake, Ms. Queen of the World, proudly holds her daughter's hand at the Oklahoma state Capitol on June 26, 2022.

Summer Drake, 2022 Ms. Queen of the World, came to the rally today to fight for her daughters. She was adamant on expressing her pride to be an Oklahoman, but also disappointed with the state Legislature’s reaction to the SCOTUS’ decision. 

“I came out here today because I'm the mother of two little girls who are 13 and 8, and my heart hurts for them and the potential decisions they’ll have to make. … My conservative state that I love so much has failed us and it has failed my children,” Drake said tearfully, while hugging her daughter. 

Multiple candidates running in the upcoming Oklahoma primaries on Tuesday attended the protest, including gubernatorial candidate Connie Johnson and U.S Senate candidate Madison Horn. 

In a speech to the crowd, Johnson called the overturning of Roe v. Wade a “reconstruction moment.” She explained that it is a chance to create new laws and “throw away the bans.”

“We need you to vote like your very lives depended on it,” Johnson told the crowd.

“They do!” the crowd responded without being prompted.

MadisonHorn

U.S. Senate candidate Madison Horn prepares to speak at the "Engage the Rage" rally at the Oklahoma state Capitol on June 26, 2022.

Horn also spoke to the crowd, explaining her desire to reestablish abortion and privacy rights nationally.

“There needs to be people that are running for federal office to ensure that Roe v. Wade is codified and women’s rights are protected,” Horn said in an interview with OU Daily.

JoshuaHarrisTill

Joshua Harris-Till, candidate for U.S. Congress, speaks to the crowd beside T. Sheri Dickerson at the Oklahoma state Capitol on June 26, 2022.

Joshua Harris-Till, candidate for U.S. Congress, spoke toward the end of the rally. Holding hands with Dickerson, he told the crowd about his frustration with the Supreme Court’s decision and how the Oklahoma Legislature responded to it.

“You can't tell me that you're pro-life if you're not willing to care about things that are living,” Harris-Till said.

The rally concluded around 3:30 p.m. People left the Capitol grounds with their signs lowered to their sides and sweat on their brows. It was the quietest the area had been since the protest began two hours beforehand.

OU Daily standards

See an error? Earning trust is our duty. We correct errors atop stories. Identify an error, request a takedown or get in touch.

Independent and free since 1916: OU is committed to our editorial independence. You can help ensure our reporting remains strong and accessible to all invested in OU and Norman.

Want to comment? We value dialogue on issues we cover. On our social media accounts, we moderate disparagements, arguments and attacks, including those directed at our staff — and ban those repeatedly failing civility. The editor considers guest column submissions.