Abortion opponents gathered on the steps of the state Capitol in Little Rock Sunday afternoon for the 39th annual March for Life.
Local legislators and government officials, including Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin, attended the 2 p.m. event, which was organized by Arkansas Right to Life.
The march, described in a news release as “a peaceful and prayerful event,” featured a rendition of “Amazing Grace” played on bagpipes and an opening invocation given by Bishop Anthony Taylor.
The news release said the event occurs each year on the Sunday closest to the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Jan. 22, 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion.
Laws surrounding abortion were a frequent topic for speakers at the march. Speakers applauded Arkansas legislators’ commitment to laws limiting abortion and talked about potential future legislation.
During his remarks, Hutchinson said “this General Assembly has the opportunity to protect life.” He spoke specifically about HB1032, a bill to ban a method used to terminate pregnancies of women in their second trimester.
Hutchinson said he had read the bill and that “when it passes, I will sign it into law.”
Sunday's event was the second march to take place at the Capitol this weekend, with the first being Saturday's Women’s March for Arkansas.
One speaker Sunday, Emily Moseley, said the Saturday event "accepted all women except pro-life women.”
Read tomorrow’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for details.