Protesters march through Atlanta over leaked US Supreme Court draft opinion on Roe v. Wade

ATLANTA — Protesters have taken to the streets following the leak of a draft of US Supreme Court ruling that would overturn Roe v. Wade.

Pro-choice supporters started rallying at Centennial Olympic Park around 6 p.m. Tuesday and then took to the streets around 7 p.m.

The draft ruling was leaked to Politico and was published late Monday night.

The ruling deals with a Mississippi abortion law. In the draft, the Supreme Court voted to strike down the Roe v. Wade decision.

Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the draft’s authenticity in a statement he released on Tuesday, also warning that this was not the final ruling by the court.

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Hundreds of abortion rights activists filled the streets of downtown Atlanta Tuesday night and marched to the Capitol, voicing their concerns with this possible Supreme Court decision.

Channel 2′s Ashli Lincoln spoke with Sasha Stray, an abortion rights ally, who said this would put the lives of millions of women at risk.

“If it comes to pass, they’re going to have illegal and unsafe abortions, and they are going to die,” Stray said.

Supporters of this possible decision, including Christian Norman, gathered Tuesday evening at the First Baptist Church of Woodstock to discuss the Row versus Wade leak.

“In our church we’ve seen God move in the lives of so many women who decided to say yes to life,” Norman said.

Abortion rights opponents say if the Supreme Court finalized this decision it’s something they agree with.

“By taking this topic out of the hands of the federal government, it forces the states to have dialogue,” Norman said.

If Roe versus Wade is overturned, the Guttmacher Institute reports, 26 states have laws aiming to severely limit abortion access.

Georgia is one of those states. It is already imposing a six-week ban and prohibiting an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.

And at least 17 states have laws protecting abortion rights, in case Roe is overturned.

The Supreme Court plans to make their final decision this summer.  Abortion rights activists say they plan to continue to rally leading up to that decision, something we’re already seeing in states all across this country.

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