Bans Off Our Bodies Rally: Saturday’s event draws nearly 1,000 to Willard Park

About 1,000 protesters on Saturday, May 14 showed their concern over the potential that the U.S. Supreme Court could overturn its historic 1973 Roe v. Wade decision to protect a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy.

The group met at Willard Park near the Free Stamp for the Bans Off Our Bodies Rally, hosted by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, and comes after the recently leaked draft of the Supreme Court decision in Mississippi’s request to overturn Roe V. Wade, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The decision is not yet final.

Pro Life advocates were nearby, also voicing their opinions, but they were drowned out by a bagpiper before Cleveland Police made the group move to East 9th Street.

Planned Parenthood is currently circulating a petition to protect a woman’s right to choose.

FreshWater managing photographer Bob Perkoski attended Saturdays’ rally and documented the protest.

Bob Perkoski
Bob Perkoski

About the Author: Bob Perkoski

In addition to his work for Fresh Water, Bob Perkoski is the official photographer for LAND studio and Cleveland Burlesque. He recently published a book of his photos Rust Belt Burlesque. He's had work published in other books like LGBTQ Cleveland by Ken Schneck, Rust Belt Chic: The Cleveland AnthologyRust Belt Chic: The Pittsburgh Anthology and Moon Cleveland by Douglas Trattner. Previously he was co-founder/art director for Balanced Living Magazine. His substantial portfolio includes news coverage, portraiture, commercial imagery and fine art. Perkoski's first solo show, These Walks of Life premiered in December 2016 in Negative Space Gallery. Visit Perkoski Photography for complete profile information.
 
Originally from Conneaut, Ohio, Perkoski now lives close to the city in Parma. He has been Fresh Water's managing photographer since the publication's September 2010 inception.