Milwaukee abortion clinic volunteers, anti-abortion protesters react to Roe v. Wade decision

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MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- There was a lot of emotion coming from both sides of the aisle Friday, June 24, after a major change to reproductive health care as the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

The polarization in opinions was clear outside the only independent abortion clinic in the state, Affiliated Medical Services (AMS) on Milwaukee’s east side.

"I'm very happy that it's turned over,” said an anti-abortion advocate, Tony Couppee.

“It's definitely disheartening,” said pro-choice advocate and clinic volunteer, Adam. “It feels like the first link in a long chain of rights for people getting overturned."

Despite the news, it was still a typical scene Friday outside AMS.

The usual pro-life activists were preaching with signs and cameras at the front doors.

“We need not only laws to be turned over, we need to have hearts turned over. So I'm here standing in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, and his good news for everyone,” said Couppee.

Alongside them, volunteer clinic escorts were in their usual spot outside the building, donning rainbow vests and guiding patients safely inside.

“I just didn't think it was right, the way that anti-abortion protesters were treating people that were just pursuing a constitutional right,  and for some people a medical necessity, and I couldn't just stand by and watch them treat people that way so I decided to get involved,” clinic escort, Adam, explained.

Now, with the potential for Wisconsin to enforce a pre-existing abortion ban in the state, those clinic escorts may not need to show up next week.

"I don't really know what the plan is here. As a group, we escorts are trying to figure it out. I'm not sure what the clinic is planning on doing,” Adam said.

Many of those escorts are joining the fight to preserve access to reproductive health care in Wisconsin.

"We're going to do our part to make sure people can still access the care they need and receive the funds they need to get that care,” Adam said.

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