Tensions ran high over the weekend that followed the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that recognized women's constitutional right to abortion. Many celebrities shared their views about the controversial ruling on social media, while others joined in on the numerous Pro Choice rallies that were organized around the country. Former Full House and Fuller House star Jodie Sweetin — a known women’s rights activist — attended a protest in Los Angeles, and a video from that event has gone viral, showing the actress being thrown to the ground by police.
In the video, Jodie Sweetin is shown with a megaphone on the side of a freeway where the protest was taking place, and officers can be seen pushing her back toward the road before shoving her to the ground. The incident was caught on camera, so take a look for yourself:
The LAPD just manhandled actress/activist Jodie Sweetin at a pro-choice protest pic.twitter.com/FMJNfjUMBWJune 26, 2022
After the Fuller House actress was helped off the ground, she took a moment to put her cap back on and collect herself before joining in as the crowd began chanting, “No justice, no peace.” Michael Ade, who shared the video, said Jodie Sweetin "was trying to lead a group of peaceful protestors away from the freeway" at the time of the incident.
The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement (per People) that it is aware of what happened and is looking into the officers’ use of force:
The LAPD is aware of a video clip of a woman being pushed to the ground by officers not allowing the group to enter on foot and overtake the 101 freeway. The force used will be evaluated against the LAPD's policy and procedure. As the nation continues to wrestle with the latest Supreme Court decision, the Los Angeles Police Department will continue to facilitate 1st Amendment rights, while protecting life and property.
Jodie Sweetin released her own statement following the protest. She didn’t address the situation with the officers, but instead said she was proud of those who showed up to protest and promised to continue to fight for women’s rights. She said:
I'm extremely proud of the hundreds of people who showed up yesterday to exercise their First Amendment rights and take immediate action to peacefully protest the giant injustices that have been delivered from our Supreme Court. Our activism will continue until our voices are heard and action is taken. This will not deter us, we will continue fighting for our rights. We are not free until ALL of us are free.
Jodie Sweetin came to fame as Stephanie Tanner on the beloved ‘80s and ‘90s sitcom Full House. She reprised the role for the Netflix reboot Fuller House, starring alongside former castmates Candace Cameron Bure, Andrea Barber, the late Bob Saget, John Stamos and more. Both shows are available for streaming with a Netflix subscription.
The Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision on June 24 to overturn Roe v. Wade did away with federal abortion protections, leaving it up to the individual states to pass laws for or against abortion. Upon the reversal, a number of states immediately enacted abortion bans. Expect to hear about more protests and legal wrangling in the coming weeks and months.
