Pensioner arrested again under Scotland abortion buffer zones law

A 75-year-old pensioner was arrested again under Scotland’s abortion buffer zones law after holding a sign within 220 yards of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. The sign read: “Coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want.” Four officers questioned Rose Docherty, searched her, and then took her into the back of a police van. She said she was left without a chair for about two hours in a police cell, and she maintained that she was peacefully offering conversation, not harassing anyone.

This marks the second time Docherty has faced charges under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Act 2024 for what authorities describe as influencing women within a buffer zone. In February, she became the first person charged under the law for holding a sign in the area. Those charges were reportedly dropped about 10 days before her latest arrest. On September 24, 2025, she was again arrested for the same alleged offence, held in custody, charged, and later released on bail with conditions extending beyond the buffer zone to a wider area.

Advocates for the buffer zones say the measures protect women seeking medical care from intimidation. Proponents argue that breaching the law can lead to penalties including fines, and authorities emphasize the statutory obligations to enforce peaceful access to health services. The debate has drawn international attention, with critics arguing that the zones threaten freedom of expression in public spaces. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance criticized the policy during a security conference in Munich earlier this year, suggesting the government was warning citizens about thought crime and private acts of prayer. Scottish officials and lawmakers pushed back, with First Minister John Swinney saying the criticisms were inaccurate and Green MSP Gillian Mackay describing some claims as nonsense. Mackay acknowledged that, in certain circumstances, the law could criminalize visible prayer from within a window, depending on who happened to pass by.

Police Scotland confirmed that around 1:50 p.m. on September 24, 2025, officers were called to a report of a small protest on Hardgate Road in Glasgow. They arrested and charged a 75-year-old woman in relation to a breach of the Safe Access Zone legislation and said she was due to appear in court at a later date. The force added that it takes the health and safety of those in custody seriously and asks the public to report vulnerabilities.

A Crown Office spokesperson said a standard prosecution report had been received from Police Scotland in relation to the incidents alleged to have occurred on September 24, 2025. Officials did not provide further details pending court proceedings.