Grandmother arrested at abortion clinic warns of expanding free speech 'buffer zones'

A grandmother in the U.K. who was arrested for holding a sign outside an abortion clinic is sounding the alarm against further attacks on free speech as lawmakers move to expand so-called "buffer zones" outside such facilities.

Rose Docherty, 74, was arrested in Glasgow, Scotland near the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in February for holding a sign that read: "Coercion is a crime, here to talk if you want."

Docherty was the first person to be arrested and charged under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act, which went into effect in September, the BBC reported. 

The law prohibits any protests or vigils from taking place within 200m or 656ft of 30 clinics offering abortion services in Scotland, but the law specifies that the Safe Access Zone could be extended if considered appropriate. 

Docherty’s arrest came just days after Vice President JD Vance highlighted the law as an example of free speech being under attack in the U.K.

Rose Docherty, 74, was arrested in Glasgow, Scotland near the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in February for holding a sign that read: "Coercion is a crime, here to talk if you want." (Rose Docherty)

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Now, Gillian Mackay, the Green Party parliamentarian responsible for introducing the buffer zones legislation, has now suggested that the Scottish government consider expanding the area of prohibition on "influence" outside hospitals, according to ADF International, a Christian legal advocacy group.

Docherty has rejected a formal warning from the Crown Office - arguing that it was "unjust" - and is waiting to find out what action may now be taken against her.

In her first broadcast interview since her arrest, she told the BBC she had "no reason to regret" the incident, noting it was an "alarming" and "surreal" experience. 

She said she had read the law and believed her actions did not violate the legislation. 

"I gave consideration to what I was doing…I looked at the law and saw what it said I couldn’t do, and thought, OK, well, this is what I can do…I can offer to listen, and if anyone wants to come and speak to me, they can do so, only if they want to come and speak with me," she told BBC’s Scotcast.

She said she is prepared to go to prison over the offense.

Docherty has also said that the government essentially wants to stamp out any opposition to abortion.

"I believe it wouldn’t matter where we stood…it wouldn’t matter how far they pushed the ‘buffer zone,’" she told ADF International, a Christian legal advocacy group.

Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, left, poses for a photograph with Scottish Green MSP Gillian Mackay, right, in the lobby of the Scottish Parliament, in support of Mackay's "buffer zones" bill on June 27, 2023 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Ken Jack/Getty Images)

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"It wouldn’t matter where we stood –201 meters, or 500 meters away – it seems the authorities would still try to crack down harshly and unfairly on individuals because the government simply disagree with their point of view. This is unjust – of course, there should be laws against harassment, and we all condemn such behavior. But merely offering conversations near a hospital is not a crime." 

Dr Greg Irwin, a doctor at the QEUH, was pictured confronting a group of protesters in February 2023, saying that they "cause emotional upset to patients, but also to staff members," per the BBC. Groups have been protesting outside the hospital for 10 years, leading to the passing of the Safe Access Zones Act.

Mackay said patients and staff had told her that they still had to pass the protesters when attending the QEUH leading to distress.

"I think it's appropriate that we take those concerns seriously and the government take a look at whether an extension is appropriate or not," Mackay told the BBC.

The act allows ministers to extend the size of a buffer zone if it is decided that the existing zone is not adequate, a Scottish government spokesperson told the outlet.

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was arrested for praying silently outside an abortion clinic in Birmingham, England. (Alliance Defending Freedom UK)

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Docherty isn’t the first person to be arrested outside abortion facilities. 

For instance, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, a prominent pro-life activist, was arrested twice in Birmingham for silently praying without any signs near an abortion facility within a buffer zone. She was arrested under a local law known as a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). She was later awarded $13,000 in compensation for wrongful arrests, according to Christian Today.

The U.K. has drawn international attention for its alleged clampdown on free speech. A number of people have been investigated and arrested for social media posts.