Faith and non-faith leaders gathered Monday at the state capitol to rally against the six-week abortion ban.
Those in attendance called the abortion ban extreme. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law last Thursday just hours after the Florida House approved the bill on a 70-40 vote.
The bill bans most abortions after six weeks.
“We know this is republicans pushing nationalist policies on us,” Florida House of Representative Anna Eskamani said. " If you decide to end that pregnancy it must be a decision made between you, your family, your doctors, and your God. Not politicians.”
Representative Eskamani said women and people who can get pregnant woke up with less rights last Friday.
Leaders at the rally Monday said they felt like people of color and those who fall within the margins, would be the most negatively impacted by this ban.
They also said their religions and beliefs strongly oppose this ban.
“Instead of passing a one size fits all legislative solution that enshrines a minority view and religious view into law and forcing it upon our entire state, we must trust women,” Gloria Romero Roses, board treasurer of Catholics for Choice said. “We must trust pregnant people to make the best decision for themselves.”
While rallying Monday, protesters took aim at Republican leaders.
“Get a spine and represent your constituents,” Eskamani said.
Protesters also said the House of Representatives and those in the Florida Senate failed. They believed DeSantis signed this bill behind closed doors for a reason.
And Rev. Joe Parramore, Founder of New Journey Ministries, said the definition many give for being pro-life needs to be countered.
“Being pro-life means being for every life. “This is what is disturbing about that sentence... it’s incomplete,” Parramore said. “What they really meant to say is being pro-life means being for every life as long as you look like us...so otherwise we’re just looking to save in the womb until we can kill it in the classroom.”
Eskamani said moving forward, there needs to be a constitutional ballot initiative where people can vote to amend the law.
The ballot initiative would require upwards of one million signatures – that would be reviewed by the Florida Supreme Court – and reach a 60% approval to get it on the ballot.
Eskamani noted it would need to happen as soon as possible for it to be on the 2024 ballot.