KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Dozens of women gathered in downtown Knoxville Tuesday to show their opposition to heartbeat abortion bills being passed across the country.
Those bills restrict abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually at about 6 weeks.
Supporters of the legislation say the move protects life, but opponents see it as a new attempt to restrict and effectively ban abortion.
The women gathered today say there's new energy to renew a fight more than 40 years in the making.
"People who have always supported but sometimes been afraid to speak out and say they support abortion rights are showing up and speaking up. People who already had to go through this fight for Roe v Wade in the 70s are coming back, when this fight should've been over, should've been settled," said Max Carwile of Planned Parenthood.
There were similar abortion protests coordinated across the country on Tuesday.
A version of the heartbeat bill in Tennessee failed to make it out committee during the most recent legislative session.