SCOTUS Abortion Ruling Aftermath Across the PNW

(Olympia, WA) -- Here's a look at some of aftermath and anticipated fallout following last Friday's Supreme Court Ruling that overturned Rowe V. Wade. The decision removes federal protection for abortion services.

Washington state is expected to receive a major influx of patients from out of state. Research organization the Guttmacher Institute says Washington could see a 385-percent rise in patients coming from states banning or seriously restricting abortion services.  Many of those patients are expected to come from neighboring state Idaho, which had a trigger law on the books making it a crime to perform an abortion in the case that Roe v. Wade was overturned.  A second Idaho law set to go before the Idaho Supreme Court this summer would allow civil lawsuits to proceed against abortion providers.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee joined California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Oregon Governor Kate Brown in Multi-State Commitment to Reproductive Freedom.

Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon says he will fight to stop efforts to ban abortion throughout the U.S.  Wyden made the statement on Twitter Saturday after former Vice President Mike Pence said he won't rest until abortion is banned in all states. Wyden is also drafting legislation to prevent big tech companies from selling location data of women who leave a state where abortion is banned to get the procedure done in a state where it's legal.

In Portland, police say a group of about 60 people wearing black clothing, hoods and masks caused damage in Portland's Hollywood District Saturday night.  The group allegedly broke windows and tagged several businesses including a pregnancy resource center, banks and coffee shops. A Portland Public Schools van had its windows broken.  Portland Police monitored the crowd, but the bureau says it didn't have the officers to stop them due to a staffing shortage, and other unrelated incidents going on in the city. So, officers documented that damage from the group in the neighborhood and may make future arrests.

In the Tri-Cities area, Lines of protesters gathered along both sides of George Washington Way near Richland's John Dam Plaza last Friday night. Participants were primarily in opposition to the Supreme Court decision, though, there were a small number of counter protesters present.