Press Secretary Jen Psaki called for restraint after reports of demonstrations outside the homes of two Supreme Court justices.
THE WHITE HOUSE today cautioned against violence and threats after protests surrounding a looming US Supreme Court ruling on abortion, with a spokesperson saying judges “must be able to do their jobs without concern for their personal safety.”
Press Secretary Jen Psaki called for restraint after reports of demonstrations outside the homes of two Supreme Court justices, and after a fire at the headquarters of an anti-abortion group in Wisconsin.
The protests follow a draft Supreme Court opinion leaked last week suggested that the conservative-dominated judicial body was set to overturn the right to abortion in the United States.
President Joe Biden “strongly believes in the Constitutional right to protest,” Psaki tweeted.
“But that should never include violence, threats, or vandalism. Judges perform an incredibly important function in our society, and they must be able to do their jobs without concern for their personal safety.”
Abortion is one of the most divisive and incendiary issues in the United States, and conservatives have been seeking to overturn the Roe v Wade ruling that made the procedure a right since it was issued nearly 50 years ago.
The leak of the draft ruling one week ago reignited a firestorm around the issue. The final ruling is expected to be issued in June.
Dozens of abortion rights protesters gathered outside the Maryland homes of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, one of those who according to the leak was in favour of overturning Roe, and Chief Justice John Roberts over the weekend, US media reported.
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