Charges against a grandmother for advising a woman outside an abortion clinic in Scotland have been dismissed, marking a significant victory for free speech in the UK.
Last year, 75-year-old Rose Docherty from Glasgow was arrested twice for holding a sign near the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital abortion clinic that read: “Coercion is a crime, only if you want to talk here.”
She was arrested on suspicion of breaching the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zone) Act, which prohibits protests, vigils, or prayers within 656 feet of abortion clinics in Scotland.
During her latest arrest in September, she did not block access to the facility or engage anyone seeking an abortion.
In a statement from ADF International, the Christian legal advocacy group supporting her case, Ms. Docherty declared the court’s decision to drop the charges as “a major victory for freedom of speech in Scotland and the UK.” She emphasized that engaging in peaceful, consensual conversation should not be misconstrued as a crime.
However, she reflected on the punitive nature of the legal proceedings she faced, which lasted seven months following her arrest.
“My situation illustrates how ‘buffer zones’ can be exploited for censorship. These ‘buffer zone’ laws should be abolished to prevent further misuse against peaceful, lawful expression, as I have experienced multiple times,” Docherty stated.
“The resources spent by authorities on targeting a 75-year-old grandmother concerned with having conversations are utterly wasted. They need to concentrate on real crime issues in Glasgow instead of silencing a Catholic grandmother.”
Jeremiah Ignubor, a barrister at ADF International, remarked that Docherty’s prosecution is inappropriate in a free society, asserting that peaceful speech should not be criminalized.
“This prosecution reflects the troubling trend regarding free speech in the UK. We urge the Crown Office and Prosecution Service to redirect their focus towards serious crime instead of these targeted prosecutions against individuals,” Ignubor said.
“Furthermore, this case highlights the serious flaws of these poorly constructed and undemocratic ‘buffer zone’ laws, which leave police confused and unfairly penalize individuals like Rose who have merely sought to express love and their rights peacefully.”
“It is crucial for Congress to act swiftly to repeal these buffer zone laws and implement robust protections that genuinely uphold free expression.”
Scotland’s legislation has faced criticism internationally, including from the Trump administration, where Vice President J.D. Vance pointed out its censorious and anti-Christian characteristics.
In a speech at the Munich Security Conference last year, Vice President Vance remarked that the Scottish law signifies a regression of free speech in Europe.
While Scotland’s law is stricter, local areas in England have also imposed similar restrictions, resulting in instances where Christians have been arrested for silently praying outside abortion clinics.
