Opponents of abortion bans rally nationwide

Democratic presidential hopefuls join protest at US Supreme Court

Hundreds of rallies protesting stringent new state abortion laws were held across the United States on Tuesday at statehouses, town squares and courthouses as women in the tens of thousands demanded the right to choose what to do with their own bodies.

The "Stop the Bans" protests that started at noon were in reaction to sweeping changes made in eight states including Alabama, where a law signed last week imposes the harshest limitations by prohibiting nearly all abortions at any point during a pregnancy.