Supreme Court abortion ruling touches off second day of raucous protests nationwide

People has participated in the New York City Pride Parade on June 26, 2022 in New York City.

Planned Parenthood was the first contingent of the parade this year following the Supreme Court overturning the 50-year-old landmark Roe v. Wade case ending the protection of federal abortions.

The annual NYC Pride Parade returned fully in person this year after being scaled back in 2021 and cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Yorkers who spoke to The Post said they were happy to see the organization’s pink banners and signs alongside the celebration’s usual fare of rainbow flags celebrating gay pride.

“I think our right to marriage is on the same chopping block,” said 28-year-old teacher Mike McGowan, who is gay, while watching his first NYC Pride parade in Manhattan’s West Village.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas — in his opinion concurring with Friday’s ruling overturning the federal right to abortion — called for the nation’s highest court to also re-examine and potentially toss out rulings that protect gay marriage and access to birth control.

In terms of abortion rights, McGowan said of the Planned Parenthood marchers, “These voices are needed.

“Them leading the march right now in New York really signifies how important Planned Parenthood is in states where women don’t have access to abortion,” he said.

NYPD cops lined the parade route at nearly every intersection, preventing onlookers from crossing or entering it.

Other Pride-goers who spoke to The Post said the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade inspired them to turn out at the event to support the LGBT community, even if the two issues aren’t exactly the same.

“It’s one of the reasons I wanted to come today,” said 39-year-old Karissa Doering, who is straight, to The Post of her decision to schelp into Manhattan from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, for her first NYC Pride March.

Finance intern Katilin Farnan, 21, said she thought it was “really cool” to see the pro-choice group front and center.

“They’ve always been supporters of us, even as women haven’t always been supportive of the LGBTQ community,” she said.

Jacob Sheldon, a 25-year-old straight guy, said he’d attended a pro-choice protest Friday as well as Sunday’s Pride festivities.

“There’s a lot of crossover in supporters.” Sheldon said.