Thousands protest Indiana's new abortion law

The hanger - a symbol of self-induced, illegal abortions - was doing double-duty for what Boothby sarcastically called a “commemorative tiara” in honor of the law’s signer, Gov. Mike Pence.

At 69, Boothby was one of the oldest protesters in the crowd of more than 2,000 outside the Statehouse. But her sentiments and symbols were shared widely throughout the nearly two-hour event, held just two days after the restrictive law was challenged in court by Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Signs of “Fire Mike Pence” and calls to defeat his November re-election bid permeated the atmosphere, along with displays graphically illustrating protesters’ objections to what they see as a law intruding on women’s reproductive rights.

The law - among the most restrictive in the nation - bans abortions performed because of fetal genetic abnormalities, including those that would be fatal to the fetus. Doctors who perform abortions requested because of medical complications are subject to wrongful death suits.

Also, the law mandates that fetal remains that are aborted or miscarried be buried or cremated.

Details of the bill, and its swift passage over the objections of even Republican women lawmakers who’ve previously supported abortion restrictions, has sparked heated rhetoric from both sides.

Indiana Right to Life issued a statement calling the rally an “ugly reminder of the hate directed at unborn children." Some abortion opponents there shouted that the law's protesters were headed to hell.

At Saturday’s rally, multiple placards showed altered images of Pence, his face superimposed on the bodies of pregnant women.

Former state Sen. Vi Simpson, who ran for lieutenant governor with current Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Gregg in the 2012 match against Pence, said the protesters' vehemence was predictable.

“People are here to say, ‘Enough is enough’,” she said.