{"id":326680,"date":"2025-02-20T12:48:58","date_gmt":"2025-02-20T18:48:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=326680"},"modified":"2025-03-02T21:49:49","modified_gmt":"2025-03-03T03:49:49","slug":"woman-scotland-police-outside-abortion-facility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/woman-scotland-police-outside-abortion-facility\/","title":{"rendered":"First abortion buffer zone arrest in Scotland is an elderly woman holding ‘silent vigil’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Days after U.S. Vice President JD Vance spoke with concern<\/a> about the assault on free speech in Europe, a woman has been confronted by police<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

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, \u201cCoercion 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 \u2014 in this case, the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital<\/a> in Glasgow, Scotland.<\/p>\n

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.”<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udea8BREAKING\ud83d\udea8: Scottish police filmed applying \u201cbuffer zone\u201d law to \u201csilent vigil\u201d, despite recent denials from the Scottish government! \ud83d\udc6e\u200d\u2642\ufe0f<\/p>\n

\u201cAm I committing an offence?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I believe you are conducting a silent vigil\u201d<\/p>\n

Vance was right. The law IS being misapplied to prayer!\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc73\udb40\udc63\udb40\udc74\udb40\udc7f pic.twitter.com\/Gsm0x4yspM<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Lois McLatchie Miller (@LoisMcLatch) February 18, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n