In Pictures

Photos: ‘Overruled’ – Top US court banishes abortion law

Demonstrators protest against abortion outside the Supreme Court — Demonstrators protest the abortion ruling outside the Supreme Court in Washington, DC on Friday [Jacquelyn Martin/AP]

The Supreme Court on Friday ended constitutional protections for abortion that had stood in the United States for nearly a half-century.

The decision by the court’s conservative majority overturned the landmark Roe v Wade ruling and is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the 50 states.

The ruling, unthinkable just a few years ago, was the culmination of decades of efforts by abortion opponents, made possible by an emboldened right side of the court that has been fortified by three appointees of former President Donald Trump.

“[We] hold that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. Roe and Casey must be overruled, and the authority to regulate abortion must be returned to the people and their elected representatives,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote.

Both sides predicted the fight over abortion would continue, in state capitals and in Washington, and Justice Clarence Thomas, part of Friday’s majority, called on the court to overturn other high court rulings protecting same-sex marriage, gay sex, and the use of contraceptives.

Anti-abortion demonstrators celebrate outside the United States Supreme Court in Washington, DC after Friday's ruling [Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters]

Abortion rights activists react after hearing the Supreme Court decision on Friday [Jacquelyn Martin/AP]

The US Supreme Court ended constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years. [Gemunu Amarasinghe/AP]

US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gestures outside the Supreme Court after the ruling. [Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters]

US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene arrives at the US Supreme Court to celebrate with anti-abortion rights demonstrators. [Michael Mccoy/Reuters]

The US Supreme Court from left to right: Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Associate Justice Samuel Alito, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer and Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor. [Erin Schaff via Reuters]

Anti-abortion rights activists celebrate after the announcement in Washington, DC. [Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images/AFP]

Abortion rights activists react outside US Supreme Court — Abortion rights activists react to the ruling in front of the US Supreme Court on Friday. [Brandon Bell/Getty Images via AFP]