HOLLAND, Mich — In Ottawa County on Monday night, there was a large protest against the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on Friday to overturn Roe V. Wade.
Before gathering at Centennial Park, the rally began with about a mile long march through downtown Holland.
Then the sidewalks around Centennial Park in Holland became jam packed with people tonight carrying signs and chanting. Event organizers say they didn't anticipate a turnout of close to 1,000 people participating but they were proud to be wrong.
"This is blowing my mind," says Jill DeJong, who helped organize the event.
"We just said alright lets do it, and we threw it together in three days," says DeJong. "It's all ages, it's all races, it's all genders. This is important to us all."
People like Carol, a Holland native, was proud of her city for coming out in droves.
"It brings me great joy," she says.
But it also brings her frustration that after generations of her family coming to protests like this one, she still has to do the same.
"What my grandma and my mama fought for me, my sister, now I have to fight for my own daughters and my future granddaughters," says Carol.
Stephanie Stano made the drive down from Grand Haven, saying the cause was worth the trip.
"It really is about equality," says Stano. "I know people want to make it about certain procedures or issues, but for me it's all about the Constitution. It's about freedom, it's about liberty."
Stano believes it's rallies like this where real change can be made.
"I don't go into your doctor's appointment with you, I don't expect you to come to mine with me," she says.
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