🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 UK: A 74 year old woman was arrested for peacefully holding a sign on the street

First abortion buffer zone arrest in Scotland is an elderly woman holding ‘silent vigil’

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UK: A 74 year old woman was arrested for peacefully holding a sign on the street near a Scottish hospital 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Days after U.S. Vice President JD Vance spoke with concern about the assault on free speech in Europe, a woman has been confronted by police for standing silently within the “buffer zone” surrounding an abortion facility in Scotland. Last fall, Scotland residents were warned about the implementation of the new buffer zone policies, which they were told could even impact their activities inside their own homes.

On February 18, British pro-life activist Lois McLatchie Miller shared footage on X of 74-year-old Rose Docherty being questioned for standing silently, holding a sign that read, “Coercion is a crime. Here to talk, only if you want.” Police informed Docherty that this constituted a violation of the “safe access zone” surrounding a facility that provides abortions — in this case, the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, Scotland.

In the footage, a police officer could be heard explaining various possible offenses against the buffer zone law. “Examples of what would be classed as breaching the Act, you know, approaching someone, trying to persuade them not to access abortion services, surrounding people as they go in or out of the clinic or the hospital, handing out leaflets, religious preaching, silent vigil,” he said. “So, standing here saying nothing, you know, it’s a silent vigil.”

Docherty responded that she was trying to point out the corruption in the law. “If anyone wants to come and speak to me, they can, so I’m not doing anything else,” she said.

“Well, you seem to believe you’re not doing anything wrong, but there’s obviously a reason why you’re here and why you’re in this area, and you in particular, I am aware that you have been protesting here against abortion before, so I don’t understand why you’re here in this area again if you’re not protesting the same thing,” the officer said.

In September of 2024 the government of Scotland sent a letter to residents who lived near an abortion facility, warning them that praying INSIDE their home could violate their law and how to report neighbors they thought were violating it.

*ibid letter the government of Scotland sent to residents who lived near an abortion facility: https://x.com/KristanHawkins/status/1890758902100435176

*Source: liveaction.org