A 75-year-old grandmother is the first person to be criminally charged in Scotland’s controversial new buffer-zone laws, which make it a criminal offence to “influence behavior” within 650 feet of any abortion facility.
Rose Docherty is facing two charges under the country’s Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) after, in February of this year, she stood silently too close to the hospital with an “anti-abortion” sign that read “Coercion is a crime. Here to talk, only if you want” in defiance of the country’s new pro-choice buffer laws.
The new law, which was passed last September, prohibits any anti-abortion protester, even ones holding silent vigils, from going within 200 meters (656 feet) of any abortion clinic in the country,
According to the government’s website:
Safe Access Zones (sometimes also called ‘buffer zones’) prevent certain activities around clinics and hospitals that provide abortion services. This is doing something which either intends to (or is reckless as to whether it will):
- influence someone’s decision to access, provide or facilitate the provision of abortion services
- prevent or impede another person from accessing, providing or facilitating the provision of abortion services, or
- cause harassment, alarm or distress to another person relating to their decision to access, provide or facilitate the provision of abortion services, where in each case the other person is in the safe access zone
Examples of such behaviour, where there is intent or recklessness, may include:
- silent vigils
- approaching someone to try and persuade them not to access abortion services
- surrounding people as they try to go in or out of the clinic or hospital
- handing out leaflets
- religious preaching
Notably, the US State Department has heartily denounced Docherty’s arrest, insisting “When 75-year-old grandmothers are being arrested for standing peacefully and offering conversation, common sense and basic civility are under attack. The United States will always speak out against these violations of fundamental rights.”
Docherty did not enter a plea at Glasgow sheriff court. She has her next court appearance on January 13, 2026, where she faces fines “up to £10,000 ($12,600) under summary procedure or to an unlimited amount under solemn procedure.”
