Nearly 50,000 pro-lifers braved a blizzard to join the March for Life rally in Washington DC last week. Among the speakers was Patrick Kelly, Knights of Columbus vice president for public policy, who said opponents of the pro-life movement “insist on dividing and bullying those who disagree with them by speaking of a fictional war on women”. He said: “Our movement, the movement to protect human life, is different. It is built by you, the grass roots. We come here to show that we cannot be intimidated.” Republican Chris Smith, co-chairman of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, praised efforts by state legislatures. “The gains have been historic – 282 pro-life laws have been enacted since 2010 including laws to stop dismemberment abortions, require a 72-hour waiting period, and informed consent.” Mr Smith, a Catholic, said the House of Representatives would vote on whether to override President Barack Obama’s recent veto of a bill removing all federal funding from Planned Parenthood next week. The rally marked the first formal involvement in March for Life, which is held on the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe vs Wade decision, which legalised abortion, by the Evangelical community. Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family, said: “We are grateful for your leadership on the culture of life. It’s taken us time to come to the party, but we are here with you!” Mr Daly was also headlining the first major pro-life conference for Evangelicals to be held in conjunction with the March for Life. After the rally, participants marched up Constitution Avenue to the US Supreme Court. Marchers headed to the court as snow fell – the beginning of a snowstorm that turned into a major blizzard and left at least two feet of snow in Washington.