Demonstrators gather in downtown Atlanta following Roe reversal

PHOTOS: Atlanta reacts to Roe reversal

Anna Summerlin, 43, joined a protest on the steps of the Georgia State Capitol to set an example for her 5-year-old daughter.

“She shouldn’t have to go backwards, thinking and worrying about her rights,” Summerlin said. “She has been taught that she has control over her body, yet here we are today, and she doesn’t. Our government does.”

Jessica Stoeger said the Supreme Court’s ruling on Roe v. Wade, combined with the court’s other decisions this week expanding gun rights, made her want to get involved.

“We can’t protect our kids in schools because guns are more important than kids. Babies that aren’t even born yet have more rights than I do as an adult,” she said, holding a sign that read ‘pro life would be 20 Sandy Hook students starting high school.’

“That’s unacceptable.”

For now, abortion remains legal in Georgia, up to the 20th week of pregnancy. But a 2019 state law that outlaws the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy — before many women even know they’re pregnant — is likely to take effect soon.

A federal appeals court delayed ruling on a challenge to that law while the Supreme Court considered Dobbs v. Jackson, the case it used to overturn Roe v. Wade. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has asked the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta to let the state immediately enforce the 2019 law.

“I believe in the dignity, value and worth of every human being, both born and unborn. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in ‘Dobbs’ is constitutionally correct and rightfully returns the issue of abortion to the states and to the people – where it belongs,” Carr said in a statement Friday afternoon, hours after the high court’s decision was announced. “We have just filed a notice in the 11th Circuit requesting it reverse the District Court’s decision and allow Georgia’s Heartbeat Law to take effect.”

The “heartbeat” law allows women to end pregnancies that are not medically viable. It also allows abortions for women who become pregnant through rape or incest, but only up to 20 weeks, and only if they’ve reported their assault to the police.

Earlier Saturday, Abigail Darnell, vice president of Georgia Right to Life, said that it’s time for abortion to end. She believes that pregnancy must be protected from fertilization to natural death.

”We need elected officials in Georgia to have the courage to end abortion, criminalize abortion once and for all,” said Darnell, 27, of Cobb County. Her husband, 40-year-old Nathaniel Darnell, said that he printed out the entire court opinion and read it with his wife. He works with the Georgia Republican Assembly and Cobb Republican Assembly.

”Over the last 40 years, there have been so many opportunities for them to do this and they’ve not done it, they haven’t had the courage to do it, they’ve missed opportunities, and then all of a sudden, they finally did it,” he said. “We’re just so excited. Can’t believe we lived to see this day.”

Melissa Karamat, 33, brought three generations of her family to Saturday’s protest downtown. She carried her young son in her arms as her mother and husband took turns pushing his stroller.

“My mom was really upset, and for us, raising (her son), it’s just really important for him to understand that rights are something you fight for,” Karamat said. As a longtime advocate, Karamat felt “devastated and defeated” when she learned the court had overruled the decision. She had been voting, protesting and donating for so long that the ruling made her feel like her activism “just doesn’t work.” But when she looked at the crowd of more than 200 abortion rights activists marching down Washington Street on Saturday afternoon, she felt less alone.

Friday was a day of mourning, Karamat said, but Saturday marked a day to pick herself up and take action.

“Seeing parents and people from all walks of life, all fighting for the same thing, I feel less defeated,” Karamat said. “We want to do what we can to keep pushing forward.”