Hundreds of people gathered at noon Sunday in Raymond Park in downtown Evanston for a rally in support of abortion rights.
Scheduled speakers at the event included Illinois Lieutenant Gov. Juliana Stratton and Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss.
The rally was scheduled to be followed at 1:30 p.m. by a march to Mason Park where another rally would continue through the afternoon.
More than a dozen groups were listed as co-sponsors for the event, including the Illinois National Organization for Women, Evanston Pride and the Democratic Party of Evanston.
Despite the Supreme Court ruling earlier this year overturning a national guarantee of abortion rights, access to abortion appears to still be secure in Illinois, given the views of current elected officials — in contrast to the situation in many other states.
But organizers say the goal of the rally is to promote commitment to long-term funding and volunteer assistance to organizations and clinics providing for reproductive justice and health.