Abortion

Pro-Abortion-Rights Protester Climbs Frederick Douglass Bridge in DC

Protests broke out after the Supreme Court announced a decision overturning Roe v. Wade

NBC Universal, Inc.

In the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade on Friday, a pro-abortion-rights advocate scaled one of the soaring arches of the Frederick Douglass Bridge in protest.

The protester was seen atop one of the bridge's arches in Southwest D.C., flying a green banner and waving a yellow flag that read "Don't tread on my uterus" and featured an illustration of the organ, shortly after the justices announced the decision ending a constitutional right to an abortion.

A Twitter user called Guido Reichstadter said he climbed the bridge to call on Congress to protect abortion access under federal law.

The bridge is less than two miles from the Supreme Court, where protests erupted following Friday's bombshell decision.

Washington, D.C., has some of the least restrictive abortion laws in the country.

Reichstadter continued to protest from atop the span late Friday night.

He said in earlier messages that he couldn't watch the rights of his daughter be stripped away.

Authorities shut down the bridge as the protest took place. Firefighters inflated a large air cushion on the roadway in case Reichstadter were to fall.

An inflatable rescue cushion was set up on the roadway to catch the protester should he fall from the suspension arch.

Reichstadter climbed down from the bridge Saturday afternoon. He slept on top of the bridge Friday night and said "there's more to do up here."

Local

Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information

Alexandria elects Democrat as 1st Black woman mayor

Here's what to know about fire safety during MD's burn ban

He is now in police custody with pending charges and is being treated by DC Fire. The police activity and road closure on South Capitol St. through the bridge has cleared.

Contact Us