On the eve of the rally, Trump pardoned activists against abortion

US President Donald Trump has pardoned 23 activists against abortion, including convicts for blocking the reproductive health clinic and intimidation of staff and patients.

Pardon was part of a series of executive decrees signed by Trump on Thursday, one of the several in the first week of his presidency.

Trump described the convictions as “ridiculous”, but abortion fighters said the move was a testament to his abortion resistance.

The orders came the day before the abortion protesters had to come to Washington for the annual March for the President to perform on video.

In 2020, Trump became the first current president to attend the rally personally, although George W. and Ronald Reagan also performed remotely.

This time Vice President JD Vens will take part in person.

The action has been held in the US capital annually since 1974, a year after the abortion was legalized by the Supreme Court in the case against Wade.

The abortion rights were a key issue in the last presidential races, and the court reversed the decision in 2022.

Signing a pardon, Trump said about the activists: “They should not be held accountable. Many of them are elderly … It’s a great honor to sign it. They will be very happy. “

American media report that one of the pardoned is Lauren Handy, leader of the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (Paau) group.

The group was found guilty of plotting in 2020 in order to storm the Washington Clinic of reproductive health and blocking to intimidate patients and staff. The participants invaded the Surgi clinic, injuring the nurse, and spent several hours there.

Handy was found guilty in August 2023 and sentenced in May 2024.

Her fans welcomed the pardon, saying the sentences were political.

President Susan B Anthony Pro-Life American Marjari Dennefeller said the demonstrators were targeted by the Justice Department Joe Biden, and thanked Trump for “immediately fulfilled his promise” to pardon them.

But abortion activists said the pardon confirmed their belief that Trump opposed abortions, despite the fact that during his presidential campaign he stated that individual states should decide whether to allow this practice.

Ryan Ststline with the National Organization for Abortion “Reproductive Freedom for All” told the AP news agency: “Donald Trump tried to do so in both directions during the election campaign – boasting his role in the abolition Action for abortion.

“We never believed it is true and it shows us what we were right.”