The sounds of protest came forcefully from the Assembly chamber gallery, the chants echoing the words emblazoned on handmade banners that were held aloft: “Stop the suffering, pass the bill!”But as New York State troopers began to remove some of the protesters — some holding canes, others slowed by the effects of cancer treatment — it was clear that this demonstration held personal and immediate resonance to those participating.
The protest was the latest in an increasingly desperate series of demonstrations aimed at persuading state legislators to pass a bill that would legalize so-called medical aid in dying, allowing terminally ill people access to life-ending medication for the first time in the state.
New York is one of 19 states where lawmakers are considering bills that would legalize medical aid in dying, a practice that is legal in 10 states and Washington, D.C.
Organizations:
New York State
Locations:
New, New York, Washington