Massive Fence Erected Around US Supreme Court After Roe v Wade Draft Leak

Earlier this week, Politico published a leaked Supreme Court draft that would strike down the Roe v Wade precedent which grants universal abortion rights.

Workers erected "tall, non-scalable fencing” around the US Supreme Court late Wednesday night after a draft opinion reportedly ditching Roe v Wade was leaked.

Aside from this, one of the draft's authors, Justice Samuel Alito, likewise cancelled his public appearances for Thursday, without specifying the reasons.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas are also expected to deliver remarks for the 11th Circuit on Thursday and Friday, but it is unclear whether they will appear given the latest developments.

The leaked draft opinion, which dates back to February and, according to the judges, does not necessarily reflect the current views in court, was published by Politico two days ago. It would strike down Roe v Wade: a historic 1973 ruling that guarantees nationwide access to abortion.

The leaked draft prompted outrage among many, with Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer criticising the potential decision. A legislative effort to codify the precedent was blocked by the Senate Republicans.

The draft also triggered concerns within the Biden administration, with Vice President Kamala Harris stating that overturning Roe v Wade could potentially result in "a future where the government can interfere in [anyone's] personal decisions."

For his part, President Joe Biden stressed that the authenticity of the draft is yet to be confirmed, while going on to highlight that his administration strongly supports Roe v Wade as a milestone precedent defending personal liberty.

Many conservatives, however, hit back by recalling how Biden voted to ditch Roe v Wade during his tenure in the Senate. In 1973, the now-president said he did not believe "that a woman has the sole right to say what should happen to her body."

The draft opinion was leaked amid a slew of anti-abortion legislation in several conservative states, including Texas, Florida and Kentucky.

The Supreme Court is poised to make its final decision on the landmark abortion precedent in late June or early July.