Mourners hold a candlelight vigil outside of the Supreme Court for RBG

Tributes to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg continued outside the Supreme Court early Saturday, as the nation mourns the death of the veteran judge who died on Friday at age 87. 

Dozens of mourners were seen arriving outside the steps of the high court, where Ginsburg served for 27 years, to drop off bouquets of flowers and homemade cards and signs in a quiet tribute to the late justice. 

Hours earlier, hundreds of people had packed the steps of the Supreme Court and the street across from the U.S. Capitol, where they sang and wept together during a candlelight vigil.

The impromptu nighttime memorial was held shortly after news of her passing broke, which triggered an outpouring of tributes from both sides of the political spectrum.   

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Dozens of people wearing protective masks sat on the steps quietly reflecting on Ginsburg’s legacy, while others knelt to leave bouquets of flowers, small American flags and photos of the justice. 

Several times, dozens in the crowd broke out into song, singing ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘This Land is Your Land’ as others embraced one another and wiped tears from their eyes. 

At one point, the crowd broke into a thunderous applause – lasting for about a minute – for Ginsburg.

‘Thank you RBG,’ one sign read. On the sidewalk, ‘RBG’ was drawn inside a pink chalk heart.

Jennifer Berger, 37, said she felt compelled to join the large crowd that gathered to pay tribute to Ginsburg’s life.

‘I think it is important for us to recognize such a trailblazer,’ she said. ‘It is amazing to see how many people are feeling this loss tonight and saying goodbye.’

Ginsburg spent her final years on the bench as the unquestioned leader of the court’s liberal wing and became something of a rock star to her admirers. 

Young women especially seemed to embrace the court’s Jewish grandmother, affectionately calling her the ‘Notorious RBG’, for her defense of the rights of women and minorities.

The memorial service remained mostly peaceful and somber, but turned tense for several minutes after a man with a megaphone approached people in the crowd and began to chant that ‘Roe v. Wade is dead,’ a reference to the landmark Supreme Court ruling establishing abortion rights nationwide.

A large group confronted the man, leading to a brief shouting match. 

Many in the crowd began yelling ‘RBG’ to try to drown out the man’s voice as he continued to say Republicans would push to quickly appoint a conservative justice to the court. 

Supreme Court police officers stood alongside the crowd and the man eventually left the area.

Ginsburg’s death paves the way for Donald Trump to expand his conservative majority on the Supreme Court ahead of November’s election.

The leader of the court’s four-member liberal wing had voiced concerns about the political impact of her passing in the days leading up to her death. 

‘My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed,’ the legal pioneer said in a statement dictated to her granddaughter Clara Spera days before her death.

President Trump was on stage in Minnesota when the Justice’s death was announced and had carried on with his campaign rally apparently unaware of the news.   

He was later asked about her death by reporters, Trump said: ‘She just died? Wow. I didn’t know that, you’re telling me now for the first time.’

He then paused and held his hands in the air before paying tribute to Ginsburg – who he had a fraught relationship with since he moved in to the White House.

‘She led an amazing life. What else can you say? She was an amazing woman whether you agreed [with her] or not. She was an amazing who led an amazing life. 

‘I’m actually sad to hear that. I’m sad to hear that,’ he said, before he turned and walked toward his jet. 

 

Meanwhile the White House flag was lowered to half staff and his Chief of Staff Mark Meadows tweeted a tribute to the ‘trailblazer’ and ‘dedicated public servant’. 

Trump later tweeted a longer statement, describing Ginsburg as a ‘titan of the law’ whose legal expertise and historic decisions inspired generations of Americans.  

‘Today, our nation mourns the loss of a titan of the law’ who was ‘renowned for her brilliant mind and her powerful dissents at the Supreme Court,’ Trump said, after the rally in Minnesota.

‘Her opinions, including well-known decisions regarding the legal equality of women and the disabled, have inspired all Americans, and generations of great legal minds,’ he added.

‘May her memory be a great and magnificent blessing to the world.’

He did not mention plans for nominating a replacement. 

Chief Justice John Roberts paid tribute to his colleague Friday describing her as a ‘champion of justice’.

‘Our nation has lost a justice of historic stature,’ Roberts said in a statement. 

‘We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague. Today we mourn but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her, a tired and resolute champion of justice.’ 

Former presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George Bush and Jimmy Carter all voiced their tributes, along with politicians including Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo voiced their tributes. 

The White House lowered its flags to half staff and social media users pointed out that in Jewish tradition, a person who dies on Rosh Hashanah – which started tonight – is regarded as a person of great righteousness.