After a brief rally in front of the courthouse in downtown San Diego, protesters headed east on Broadway on Friday, June 24, 2022.

In Photos: Protests erupt in San Diego following Supreme Court's Dobbs decision

By Matthew Bowler / Video Journalist

Contributors: Matt Hoffman / Health Reporter

Published June 24, 2022 at 7:42 PM PDT

Updated July 14, 2022 at 6:02 PM PDT

This story was published more than 1 year ago.

June 24 | June 27

San Diegans responded quickly after the Supreme Court overturned five decades of precedent on abortion rights on Friday. Most local elected officials condemned the 5-4 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, some religious groups celebrated but expressed mixed feelings, and by the evening hundreds of people took to the streets of downtown in protest.

Abortion rights advocates began marching after 6 p.m. from San Diego's Hall of Justice and made their way to Waterfront Park. The rally concluded at about 9 p.m.

Hall of Justice — 6:30 p.m., June 24

signs at downtown abortion protest — Strong emotions were on display as supporters of abortion rights rallied outside the Hall of Justice in downtown San Diego on Friday, June 24, 2022.

speaker at downtown abortion protest 3.jpg — San Diegans with various political leanings turned out to hear speakers advocate for preserving access to abortion at the protest in downtown San Diego on Friday, June 24, 2022.

Abort SCOTUS sign at downtown abortion protest — Anger at the Supreme Court of the United States, or SCOTUS, was on full display in downtown San Diego in the aftermath of the ruling on Friday, June 24, 2022.

Some protesters sought to contrast the ruling allowing states to restrict access to abortion with recent rulings limiting states' abilities to regulate firearms in downtown San Diego on Friday, June 24, 2022. — Protesters criticized the ruling and the Supreme Court itself in downtown San Diego on Friday, June 24, 2022.

Broadway and State Street — 7:15 p.m., June 24

The chants addressed dissatisfaction with the Supreme Court, national politicians of both parties and misogyny at the abortion rights protest in downtown San Diego on Friday, June 24, 2022. — When the March set out eastbound on Broadway, chants addressed dissatisfaction with the Supreme Court, national politicians of both parties and misogyny at the abortion rights protest in downtown San Diego on Friday, June 24, 2022.

The protesters marched past people eating dinner in downtown San Diego on Friday, June 24, 2022.

Residents of downtown observed the anti-abortion protesters from balconies on Friday, June 24, 2022. — And residents of downtown took to their balconies to observe the anti-abortion protesters on Friday, June 24, 2022.

The protesters turned north on Sixth Avenue, still chanting and holding their signs high on Friday, June 24, 2022

The march turned west again on Ash Street, taking the chants and signs toward the County Administration Building to meet up with a vigil held on the harbor on Friday, June 24, 2022.

Ash St near Fourth Ave — 8:05 p.m., June 24

A protester smiles while she holds a sign while marching with other supporters of abortion rights on Ash St going west near Fourth Ave, June 24, 2022. — A protester smiled while she held a sign marching with other supporters of abortion rights on Ash St going west near Fourth Ave, June 24, 2022.

A large crowd of supporters of abortion rights marched on Ash St going west near Fourth Ave, June 24, 2022.

Santee Trolley Square — 1:00 p.m., June 27

Kirsten Hernandez.jpg — Protesters in Santee marched from the Santee Trolley Square to State Assemblyman Randy Voepel's office, Santee, June 27, 2022.

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Matthew Bowler

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Matthew Bowler is an award-winning journalist from San Diego. Bowler comes from a long line of San Diego journalists. Both his father and grandfather worked as journalists covering San Diego. He is also a third generation San Diego State University graduate, where he studied art with a specialty in painting and printmaking. Bowler moved to the South of France after graduating from SDSU. While there he participated in many art exhibitions. The newspaper “La Marseillaise” called his work “les oeuvres impossible” or “the impossible works.” After his year in Provence, Bowler returned to San Diego and began to work as a freelance photographer for newspapers and magazines. Some years later, he discovered his passion for reporting the news, for getting at the truth, for impacting lives. Bowler is privileged to have received many San Diego Press Club Awards along with two Emmy's.

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