President Joe Biden on Friday called the U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade a 'sad day for the court and for the country' and says the Supreme Court 'took' the abortion right away.

Biden also outlined his approach to this new phase of the fight over abortion access and urged all protests to remain peaceful.

The president urged Congress to restore the right to an abortion as federal law.

The White House has been preparing for this moment since a draft of the decision leaked in May. Officials have been huddling with state leaders, advocates, health care professionals and others to prepare for a future without Roe v. Wade.

Now Biden's plans will be tested in terms of politics and policy.

Outside the Supreme Court, a crowd of abortion supporters swelled to the hundreds after the ruling was issued. One chanted into a bullhorn, “legal abortion on demand” and “this decision must not stand.”

A competing faction demonstrated in favor of the ruling, holding signs saying "the future is anti-abortion″ and “dismember Roe.”

READ MORE: wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/biden-to-speak-about-abortion-ruling/507-05c91737-8732-4440-af31-5d5ab6ebefe8

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