Catholic statue vandalized in Algiers after Roe V. Wade decision

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Volunteers gathered Saturday (June 25) at the Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church in Algiers Point, to clean and remove red paint used to deface a statue and place of prayer meant to honor the unborn children of abortion.

Hillary Moise is currently using a walker with a cracked hip and broken ribs. But she said seeing a picture of the vandalism on social media spurred her to come help.

“Just the anger in the world and the country is really sad right now,” said Moise.

She said she knows others might not share her opinion on abortion. But that doesn’t make it OK to commit crimes.

Still, she said she holds no ill will towards the person or persons involved.

“I think we still need to be one country. And I think we need to respect each other’s opinions,” said Moise.

“There’s got to be a lot of anger and angst to do something like this. I hope that they’re sorry one day, that’s all. But I hope that their day is a good day, a better day.”

Emotions are running high on both sides of the abortion debate following Friday’s US Supreme Court opinion overturned Roe v. Wade protections that had stood for 49 years. The impact has been instantaneous for women in states that have trigger laws, including Louisiana.

“It’s immediate,” said Fox 8 political analyst Mike Sherman. “This law was passed back in 2006. It’s one of the most conservative trigger laws in all of America. If you live in Louisiana, your right to an abortion has ended.”

Louisiana law still allows pregnancies to be terminated under extreme circumstances, such as a life-threatening emergency to the mother or an ectopic pregnancy.

But Sherman says finding a nearby abortion clinic just became next to impossible.

“Get on a bus, a plane, a car or train to Illinois, maybe,” he said. “We are in the Deep South. Nowhere nearby.”

While four of the five justices who voted to overturn Roe said this will not set a precedent to take away more rights, Sherman believes for some, the credibility of the high court already has been damaged.

“I think same-sex marriage is chief among that list. And contraception has to be on there, because they’re rooted in the same protection that Roe v. Wade was,” said Sherman.

“If you are pro life, you are celebrating today. It’s been a multi-decade challenge. If you are pro choice, you are protesting and horrified today. The country moves further apart.”

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