‘RIGHT OF CHOICE’

Atlanta Tells Cops to Make Abortion Arrests ‘Lowest Possible Priority’ if Roe Falls

Should Roe v. Wade be overturned, a restrictive Georgia law would make abortions illegal once a doctor detects fetal cardiac activity, typically about six weeks into a pregnancy.

The City of Atlanta has shared its plan to protect abortion rights should Roe v. Wade be overturned by the Supreme Court this year. City council members have requested Atlanta police make abortion-related arrests their “lowest possible priority,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. This, paired with a resolution that demands no city funds be used to record or track where abortions are occurring, are part of the city’s efforts to fight back against a restrictive abortion law passed by the Georgia legislature in 2019. This law, which would go into effect if Roe v. Wade is overturned, criminalizes abortion procedures in most cases once a doctor can detect fetal cardiac activity, typically about six weeks into a pregnancy and before many women know they are pregnant. Despite these efforts, the prioritization of abortion-related arrests will be up to Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum, who was sworn into the role just two weeks ago.