While attorneys argued the merits of the ambulatory surgical standard of House Bill 2, the new Texas abortion law, protestors on both sides of the issue rallied outside the federal courthouse in Austin.
Anti-abortion rights groups in blue shirts sang church hymns and prayed while abortion-rights groups chanted and carried signs around the perimeter of the building.
Members with the Abortion Rights Freedom Ride carried the pictures of women they say died as a result of being denied access to an abortion.
“HB2 is a law that will re-institutionalize forced motherhood," said Abortion Rights Freedom Ride's Sunsara Taylor. "Many will have to foreclose their lives, be trapped in abusive relationships, be driven into poverty or deeper into poverty. Many are self inducing already.”
Inside the courtroom, the plaintiffs case leaned on testimony from Texas doctors regarding the medical necessity of HB2’s ambulatory surgical center requirement. The arguments in this case are expected to run through Thursday.
