Anti-abortion Protesters March In Washington On Roe V. Wade Anniversary WASHINGTON - Thousands of abortion opponents have marched to the Supreme Court in chilly, soggy weather to mark the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the decision legalizing abortion. The "March for Life" has been held every year since 1974, a year after the landmark Supreme Court ruling. It's consistently one of the largest protests of the year in Washington, although weather likely kept this year's numbers down a bit. House Speaker John Boehner told thousands of people gathered on the muddy National Mall on Monday afternoon that he's one of 12 children. He says his anti-abortion views aren't political; they're part of his identity. Participants carried signs reading "I Vote Pro-Life First," "Defund Planned Parenthood" and "Face It ... Abortion Kills a Person.