ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Nationwide “Bans off our Bodies” marches have drawn thousands to protest abortion rights Saturday, including rights in the Capital Region in Troy, Hudson, and Albany. Chanting, “bans off our bodies. Bans off our bodies,” hundreds of demonstrators lined Central Avenue in Albany.

“We are coming together to stand together and say that what the Supreme Court is poised to do which is to overturn Roe V. Wade effectively cutting off abortion access to 26 states in the country is unacceptable and if everyone isn’t free then none of us are free,” says Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood CEO Chelly Hegan.

Passersby honked car horns and chanted along with demonstrators, including Christine Curley, “I feel like everything that we have worked for so hard to where we are right now and we need to keep going. We’re going to continue to fight and they’re never going to see us coming. We are going to fight until our last breath and get what we need as equal rights.” 

“We have been on this fight for 50 years,” says Jay Holly, “in Albany, our leaders in Albany have really protected a woman’s right to choose. We need our leaders in Washington to do the same. This is a national right it’s time for our elected officials to do what’s right for women in this country.” 

“I think it’s really important that we make sure that Planned Parenthood can operate safely here in the city of Albany. We work really closely to ensure that people can get safe access to this facility,” says Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan.