On Monday, Jan. 22, which marks 51 years since the now-overturned Roe v. Wade ruling legalized abortion, thousands gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol for the annual March for Life. 

At noon, buses unloaded from parochial schools and churches from across the state in front of the capitol. Children and adults paraded around the capitol, holding homemade and MCCL-provided signs for around 15 minutes until the program began.

The march is organized by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL), the largest pro-life organization in Minnesota. The MCCL criticizes Minnesota’s current abortion legislation, claiming it to be “as extreme as any in the world.” 

This year’s march was especially concerned with a 2023 bill that enshrined the “right to make autonomous decisions about the individual’s own reproductive health.” While over half of Minnesotans support state constitutional protections for abortion, the bill received criticism from House and Senate Republicans who worried the bill lacked guardrails, such as restrictions for third-trimester abortions.

Additionally, as presented on a large screen in front of the crowd, the pro-life movement has also been motivated by Minnesota’s 20% increase in abortions in 2022. The state projects an even more significant increase for 2023 because more out-of-state patients have come to Minnesota to pursue an abortion since the overturning of Roe. V. Wade, according to WCCO. 

This year, the program featured a display of 12,175 plastic fetuses on the steps of the capital, which represented the number of abortions that took place in Minnesota in 2022. 

After the program, the fetuses were brought into the capitol rotunda. 

While the march occurred during the school day, a surprising number of young people were present, most accompanied by parents or church groups.