By Rich McKay

ATLANTA (Reuters), – Protests erupted after a draft U.S. Supreme Court case was leaked, indicating that justices could overturn constitutional rights to abortion. Justice Clarence Thomas declared Friday that the court can’t be “bullied.”

Leakage sparked political fury, with supporters of abortion rights staging demonstrations in front of the courthouse as well as at other locations throughout the United States. An internal crisis also erupted at the top judiciary body, which is currently investigating the unusual disclosure.

Thomas, one the most conservative members of the court’s nine-members, only made a few references to the protests against the leaked draft opinion while he was speaking at an Atlanta judicial conference.

Thomas stated that society is becoming “addicted to certain outcomes” and not living with those outcomes.

“We cannot be an institution that you can bully into giving you the outcome you desire.” These events are an example of it.

After peaceful demonstrations, the police surrounded the court using tall, black fencing.

Draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito, a conservative, was published Monday by Politico. It would support a Mississippi law that prohibits abortions within 15 weeks. This will also overturn 1973 Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in the United States.

While the court confirmed that the document was authentic, they called it preliminary. By June 30, the court will issue its decision in this matter.

Alito cancelled Friday’s appearance at another court conference and instead sent a video message to attendees in which he stated that it was “impractical” for them to attend.

Thomas, who is from Georgia, was speaking at the 11th Circuit Judicial Conference. It was a gathering lawyers and judges representing the Atlanta-based Federal Appeal Court and federal District courts of Georgia and Florida.

Roberts stated that Thursday’s leak was “absolutely horrendous” but promised that it wouldn’t affect court work.