The 41st March for Life stepped off a little after 1 p.m. Wednesday, the culmination of three days of events to recognize the legalization of abortion and a fight to end it.
Church congregations, youth groups, university students and men and women of the cloth made their way through the slush and snow to the U.S. Supreme Court building.
Among them, aided by crutches, was 18-year-old Raneem Alayoubi, of Detroit, Mich.
“This is only a temporary thing,” the petite brunette said as she maneuvered around a curb. “Not being born is forever.”
Despite the frigid temperatures and stinging windchill, thousands turned out for the event. Texas flags fluttered in the air, while cheers from groups out of the Plains echoed across the Mall.
Ian Sheedy, a sophomore at Holy Family Academy in Manassas, Va., held one half of a banner with his school’s name in navy and gold.
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“I’m hoping there will be a pretty good turnout,” he said in reference to the snow storm on Tuesday. “There seems to be a lot of people from across the country.”
One local group that did make it was the students from The Catholic University.
James Marafino, a junior, said between 300 and 400 students had come out to march.
“The university closed with the storm,” he said. “People were wondering if this was still going to happen. I was like, ‘Oh yeah!’”
