Hundreds rallied for reproductive rights outside of the Colorado State Capitol on Saturday, May 14. The rally, “Bans off Denver,”—hosted by Planned Parenthood Votes Colorado—was one of many in response to a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that stated an intent to overturn the landmark case Roe v. Wade.

Roe v. Wade, a precedent case determined in 1973, protects a citizen’s right to privacy on healthcare matters nationally. This right to privacy includes the prevention of complete abortion bans.

Leaked on May 2 and promptly published by Politico, the 98-page Supreme Court draft opinion—written by Justice Samuel Alito—states that “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,” and calls for an overturn of the precedent case. This decision would allow each state to determine the legality of abortion.

The draft opinion follows a trend of increasing abortion restrictions nationwide. In September 2021, Texas passed Senate Bill 8, the nation’s strictest abortion ban. Since January 2022, 37 abortion restrictions have been enacted in 10 states.

So far, as many as 18 states have created abortion-banning trigger laws that will be passed almost immediately following the official overturn of Roe v. Wade. These trigger laws will make almost all abortions within the state illegal.

One of more than 370 rallies held nationwide on Saturday, “Bans off Denver” featured notable speakers including Colorado congresswoman Diana DeGette, Womxn’s March Denver chair Jade Marquez, 39th Secretary of State Jena Griswold, Senator Julie Gonzalez and two student leaders from local Denver high schools.

“We are not going to agonize, we are going to organize,” DeGette declared before other speakers dove into policy changes recently implemented in Colorado.

These policy changes include the Reproductive Health Equity Act, passed on April 4 in response to the tightening of abortion restrictions in other states. The act prohibits state and local entities from interfering with a person’s choice to use contraception or have an abortion. “We got to work, we passed that policy,” Julie Gonzalez said. “I had to buy a couch in order to be here [at the Colorado capitol] as long as it takes.”

Rally leaders highlighted the importance of voting for policy change. “Our ability to make decisions about our own bodies is about trying to exert power and control,” Gonzalez said. “We know that power and control will be on the ballot in 2022.”

Wxmen’s March Denver will host their annual abortion access rally on September 24.