‘Heartbeat Bill’ Protest Converges on Capitol Tomorrow Morning
Image via Facebook.
Demonstrators are planning to organize tomorrow at the state capitol to protest the passage of the so-called “Heartbeat Bill,” which critics say effectively outlaws abortions in the state of Georgia.
On Tuesday, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp singed into law a bill that bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected – around 6 weeks, according to CNN. This is before most women realize they are pregnant.
Pro-choice activists across the country were outraged by what they say is a gross infringement of women’s rights. To make their voices heard, protesters are planning to meet at the capitol building at 9 a.m., on Saturday, May 11, according to their Facebook event. At 10:30, a march will begin to Centennial Park with the intention of terminating in front of the CNN building.
At the time this story was posted, 195 people responded on the Facebook event as “going” and approximately 1,100 said they were “interested.”
One of the group’s organizers, Clara Ember, notes the protest does not have a permit, and as such encourages protesters to not block streets or intersections, and to not impede movement through sidewalks.
“If we are asked to leave or stop by police, we will do so and disperse immediately. Do not engage with counter demonstrators at all,” Ember wrote in the group. “This is a peaceful protest and engagement only makes things worse.”
On Tuesday, Kemp lauded the moral virtue of the new law. “[It] is very simple but also very powerful: a declaration that all life has value, that all life matters, and that all life is worthy of protection,” Kemp said, per CNN. “I realize that some may challenge it in a court of law. But our job is to do what is right, not what is easy. We are called to be strong and courageous, and we will not back down. We will always continue to fight for life.”
Clearly, not everyone agrees with Kemp’s sentiment. “This law not only attacks women, but blatantly disregards rights guaranteed to us 50 years ago by the Supreme Court,” the protest group’s post reads. “We will not let the work of our sisters be so easily undone. Women of all background and walks of life have been fighting for our rights for years. This weekend, we join them.”