High fence erected outside Supreme Court as abortion-related protests continue

An imposing, "unscalable" eight-foot-high fence has been erected at the U.S. Supreme Court in the wake of protests over a bombshell draft opinion on abortion.

The leaked ruling, not yet final but confirmed to be authentic by the court, indicated its conservative majority is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade -- the landmark decision that has guaranteed a woman's right to abortion for almost the past 50 years.

Abortion rights activists -- and some anti-abortion protesters -- have rallied at the Supreme Court each day since Politico reported the draft document on Monday, including the preliminary votes of the majority.

Protesters on both sides of the issue gathered again in front of the building around noon on Thursday after the fence was put up overnight.

Neither the Supreme Court nor Capitol Police have said anything publicly about possible threats to the court or the justices.

The protests outside the court's marble front steps have been largely peaceful, prompting some to question why the new security barrier -- reminiscent of the unscalable fencing placed around the U.S. Capitol after the violence of Jan. 6, 2021 -- is necessary.

John Becker, a spokesperson at Catholics For Choice, said the measures appear "ominous and disproportionate to what has actually been transpiring on that plaza."

But the court has often been a magnet for threats and security concerns. Just two weeks ago, a man reportedly described as an environmental activist died after setting himself on fire on the court's front plaza, possibly related to his views on climate change.

A Supreme Court spokeswoman declined to comment on the fencing, citing a longstanding policy of not discussing security operations.

The justices are scheduled to next meet in person for a private conference on May 12. A final decision in the abortion case, which centers on a Mississippi law banning the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy, is expected by the end of June or early July.