California Rep Judy Chu arrested for blocking Supreme Court entrance in abortion rights protests

Democrat Rep. Judy Chu was arrested Thursday with hundreds of others who blocked an entrance to the Supreme Court building in support of abortion rights.

The blocked the intersection of First Street and Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C., on the last day of the court's term and about a week after it struck down its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that provided a constitutional right to abortion.

Capitol Police said they arrested roughly 200 people after giving them multiple warnings throughout the day that what they were doing was illegal. 

"We arrested 181 people for Crowding, Obstructing or Incommoding (DC Code § 22--1307) for blocking the intersection of Constitution Avenue, NE and First Street, NE," tweeted the Capitol police.

"When I first heard Roe was overturned, I immediately thought of who would be most harmed by this decision: a young girl who is a survivor of rape, a woman who cannot afford to travel to another state to access critical care, an expecting mother with an ectopic pregnancy whose life is in danger because she cannot have an abortion," Chu, of California, said.

"So, when I think of all these women – and more – the decision to join in a peaceful demonstration to make clear we will not allow the clock to be rolled back on abortion rights was easy."

Thirteen states that are enacting immediate abortion bans since last Friday's Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, and 13 more that are looking to quickly adapt their abortion laws to limit or completely eliminate the window availability in which a woman can seek an abortion. 

Chu says, in the wake of the decision, she is ramping up her calls to abolish the Senate filibuster and pass the Women's Health Protection Act, which would codify a woman's right to abortion. The bill was initially blocked by Senate Republicans and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, of West Virginia,  who voted against the legislation in February.