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Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby Ruling Sparks Protest In Albuquerque

Ed Williams

      

The crowds on the street corner outside Hobby Lobby were mostly civil, though emotions were running high. Several dozen men and women waved signs at oncoming traffic calling for a boycott of the craft store and decrying the Supreme Court’s decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby.

One protester, Natalie Hrizi, was busy passing around a petition to have congress revisit the issue.

“They gave the Hobby Lobby corporation rights over women’s rights,” Hrizi said. “We’re out here today to say to the Supreme Court and to Hobby Lobby, 'Stop attacking women’s rights and give us the right to contraception, which is part of health care.'”

A few yards away a smaller group of residents waved American flags and signs of support for Hobby Lobby. Wanda Hyatt said her group got to the protest as soon as they could after hearing about it on the news.

“Hobby Lobby basically stood up for their Christian convictions. I’m so glad they did that and that they won. Maybe we’re going to get our country back,” Hyatt said.  

Some people shouted insults at the protesters as they drove by. Others honked in support. There were a few heated words exchanged from the crowds. One pair of protesters set up a picket near entrance of Hobby Lobby, prompting the manager to call the police. At the end of the day, though, no one was arrested.

The protest is part of a national week of action against the Supreme Court decision continuing through July 13.  

Ed Williams came to KUNM in 2014 by way of Carbondale, Colorado, where he worked as a public radio reporter covering environmental issues. Originally from Austin, Texas, Ed has reported on environmental, social justice, immigration and Native American issues in the U.S. and Latin America for the Austin American-Statesman, Z Magazine, NPR’s Latino USA and others. In his spare time, look for Ed riding his mountain bike in the Sandias or sparring on the jiu-jitsu mat.