Montgomery, Alabama — Thousands of demonstrators gathered Saturday in Selma and Montgomery to protest Republican-led redistricting efforts across the South and to advocate for stronger federal voting rights protections.
The rallies, part of the “All Roads Lead to the South” campaign, drew civil rights activists, clergy, Democratic lawmakers, and community organizers concerned about congressional maps that would affect Black-majority districts in states including Alabama and Louisiana.
Earlier in the day, hundreds marched silently across Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge, a historic site of the 1965 civil rights movement. Speakers at both events tied current voting rights disputes to past struggles that led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act.
Much of the criticism focused on recent Supreme Court decisions involving redistricting and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Activists argued the rulings could make it harder to challenge district maps alleged to dilute minority voting power. Republican lawmakers and conservative legal advocates, however, have argued that states should retain broader authority over district boundaries and election systems.
Democratic lawmakers, including U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and Rep. Terri Sewell, addressed the crowd, urging continued voter turnout and civic engagement ahead of upcoming elections. Organizers estimated more than 5,000 people attended the Montgomery rally.
The demonstrations also highlighted Alabama’s ongoing legal battles over congressional maps following the Allen v. Milligan case. Federal courts continue reviewing whether newly proposed district maps comply with voting rights protections.
Protesters also raised concerns about healthcare access, SNAP benefit reductions, and representation in Congress, arguing that these issues are closely tied to electoral power and district representation.
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