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US Supreme Court security upped after protest threats

US Supreme Court security is being strengthened after a leak suggested the court may overturn legalised abortion.

The US Marshals Service said yesterday (10 May) that it is stepping in to assist the agencies that normally protect the judges.

The US Senate also unanimously passed a bill that would provide police protection to the immediate families of the nine Supreme Court justices and other officers of the court. The bill will still need to go before the US House of Representatives.

At a protest last night at Justice Samuel Alito's house in Alexandria, Virginia, activists chanted: "Abort the court!"

White House denounces violence

The White House said earlier that demonstrations should never include "violence, threats or vandalism".

"[President Biden] strongly believes in the constitutional right to protest," his press secretary Jen Psaki said.

"But that should never include violence, threats, or vandalism. Judges perform an incredibly important function in our society, and they must be able to do their jobs without concern for their personal safety."

Protests outside judges’ houses

Protesters also gathered outside the homes of two other justices at the weekend, with a crowd of 100 people marching from the home of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to Chief Justice John Roberts' house nearby in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Shut Down DC, the left-wing group behind Monday's demonstration outside Justice Alito's house, said the plan was to "hold a moment of silence for the rights we know are ours". 

An anti-abortion centre also was subjected to an arson attack on Sunday.

Draft opinion

A draft opinion leaked last week suggests a majority of the Supreme Court to throw out a constitutionally protected right to abortion. 

The ruling by Justice Alito, described 1973’s Roe v Wade decision which legalised abortion as "egregiously wrong from the start".