Thousands turn out for CT March for Life. We’re ‘here to stay,’ say pro-life supporters

Hartford Courant – Wednesday, March 19, 2025
By Sean Krofssik

Thousands gathered in front of the Connecticut State Capitol on Wednesday to take part in the annual March for Life, vowing to fight for the “day where every unborn child in the state of Connecticut is protected.”

An estimated 2,000 people attended the rally, which was followed by a march around Bushnell Park, according to State Capitol Police. A continual flow of buses dropped off attendees before and throughout the rally.

“The pro-life movement in the state of Connecticut is here to stay,” said Peter Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut and one of the speakers at the hour-long rally.

“We know that Roe v. Wade didn’t change anything on the ground in Connecticut, but we know we are behind enemy lines in this state,” Wolfgang said. “It’s a very pro-abortion state, but we will continue to fight for the day where every unborn child in the state of Connecticut is protected in law and welcomed in life. Even if we don’t live to see it, we know it will happen someday and when it does it will have something to do with what is happening right here and right now.”

According to Wolfgang, people from all over the state attended the rally, many of them from church groups.
“It’s very inspiring. It’s very hopeful. We’ve known all along which way the state leans on the abortion issue, but we’ve always had a vigorous pro-life movement in the State of Connecticut and its growing. It’s not despondent at all. It’s growing more hopeful all of the time. We saw what we could accomplish on the federal level and if we can overturn Roe V. Wade, we can do anything, even in the State of Connecticut. … Our goal is to overturn the 1990 statute that is keeping abortion legal in Connecticut. But that’s a long way off.”

South Windsor resident Keilani Hughes was one of those in attendance on Wednesday. She is a leader of the faith-based American Heritage Girls, which is a national organization for girls ages 5 through 18 years old.

Hughes organized with Mercy High School in Middletown and the Emmanuel Christian Academy in Newington to get more students at the rally or to make signs.

“We want to get younger people involved and more engaged. This year my focus is on people who have had an abortion, and they may find healing in the blood of Jesus,” Hughes said. “There is life, and God cares about that life just as much as he cares about any others.”

Hughes said her experience last year made her want to do more this year.

“That experience last year was really impactful and it really inspired me to reach out to more schools to help students and tell them this is your right to stand for others,” Hughes said. “To not be silent and not be afraid. I think many people don’t come to these events because they are afraid. But I say don’t be afraid.”

Deb McCann of Glastonbury attended the event for the first time on Wednesday.

“I’m here because life is important,” McCann said. “It’s life. Abortion is murder, and God has designed us to have life.”

McCann said she would like to see the state trend the same way the issue of abortion has nationally.

“If someone is thinking about abortion and they are seeing this (rally), hopefully it may change their minds. Even if one baby was saved it’s worth it,” McCann said.

Newtown’s Henry LeMien is a second-time attendee of the rally. He said he was encouraged to see so many people attend the rally.

“God creates and it’s not up for man to destroy,” LeMien said. “I believe life begins at conception and I don’t believe it’s man’s right to take it away. It’s really basic, it’s not complicated at all.”
Despite his views on abortion, LeMien said he doesn’t want to see a theocracy and believes changed hearts “are the better way to go about it” rather than codifying the law.

“It’s about letting people know what exists and how to change their minds, so they don’t want to abort their babies,” LeMien said. “So, fathers step forward and support the women who are carrying their child. To me it’s about fathers and families. Let’s change hearts. The biggest way for me to change hearts is through the love of Christ.”

Lisa Maloney from the Connecticut Pregnancy Care Coalition targeted her rally speech at the students in attendance.

“I want to encourage them to educate themselves on the issues of life and to be a spokesperson in the community for the importance of protecting life,” Maloney said. “An event like this is important because we live in a state where people think there is not support for the issue of life, and I think this shows people out there who are on the fence that there are people out there who believe that life is important.”

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022, the Gov. Ned Lamont signed a series of bills approved by the Connecticut General Assembly to protect women’s rights in the state.

“Connecticut law is very clear that abortion is safe, legal and protected in our state,” Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said Wednesday. “As policy makers, the governor and I, as well as our legislative partners are going to keep fighting at the state and federal levels to ensure that women have access to the reproductive healthcare that they choose. That includes access to fertility care or abortion care.

“We think is really important since the fall of Roe and since the Dobbs decisions,” Bysiewicz added. “We have been working very closely with our partners in the legislature to protect patients and providers to allow pharmacists to prescribe birth control, to ensure the privacy of health data and expand access to emergency contraception via vending machines on college campuses.”
Bysiewicz said she and Lamont were recently at the University of Connecticut to highlight birth control accessibility.

“I think this is really important right now because across the country, in courts and in legislatures there continues to be an all-out attack on women’s reproductive rights and freedoms,” Bysiewicz said. “The governor and I are very committed to continuing to be a national leader for the protection and advancement of reproductive equity.”

Bysiewicz said that the legislature is considering a number of options such as funding to ensure there are emergency contraception vending machines on the other college campuses in the state. Other proposals include using Telehealth to expand access to health care as well as increase Medicaid funding for reproductive care.

Bysiewicz said the state’s executive branch is working with the reproductive rights caucus and that has kept the state “on the forefront of reproductive healthcare.”

Bysiewicz also said there is also a proposed amendment to the constitution, which would enshrine reproductive rights, and that legislation would include gender identity and expression into the state constitution.

“Certainly, people have a right to voice their opinions, but I think in every state where the voters had the opportunity to weigh in on reproductive rights. Overwhelmingly, voters said they wanted reproductive rights and freedoms,” Bysiewicz said. “That’s why a lot of people are excited to amend our equal protection clause to broaden reproductive freedom and also to protect the LGBTQ+ community.”

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