- Parliamentarian Gillian Mackay tells BBC she wants the government to consider extending Scottish “buffer zones”, despite already being the largest in the world
- Glasgow grandmother became first to be arrested under the new laws after holding a sign reading “coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want” – says she is “prepared to go to prison”
- U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance criticised Scottish law, raising concerns that residents in “buffer zone” areas could be punished for even praying within their homes
GLASGOW (16 May 2025) – The grandmother arrested for holding a sign reading “coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want” nearby a Glasgow hospital in March has spoken out following political manoeuvers to expand Scotland’s censored “buffer zones” – despite the zones already being the largest of their kind in the world.
Rose Docherty, 74, was handcuffed, arrested, and driven away in a police car for standing peacefully with a sign inviting conversation with anyone who wanted to approach her in February 2024. A video of her arrest went viral internationally.
“Of course, there should be laws against harassment, and we all condemn such behaviour. But merely offering conversations near a hospital is not a crime."
Docherty was standing within 200m of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, where a censorial “buffer zone” is enforced. The buffer zone prevents harassment, intimidation, and “influence” of a person’s decision to access abortion services. Docherty denies engaging in any of the prohibited activities.
Speaking to BBC Scotland’s “Scotcast” this week, Rose Docherty said that the experience had been “alarming”.
In an exclusive broadcast with the BBC, Docherty explained that she had studied the Scottish “buffer zones” law, which came into force in 2024, and had carefully chosen a sign that did not break any prohibitions. On the day in question, she stood quietly and peacefully near the hospital, not approaching anyone, in order to ensure that any conversations that took place were consensual.
“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 the podcast.
Speaking later to ADF International, she reflected: “there was nothing in my conduct or sign that could reasonably be considered harassing, alarming and distressing”.
The offence of engaging in “influence” within the buffer zone (section 4 Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Act 2024) carries a maximum sentence of an unlimited fine. Docherty also told the BBC that she would even be “willing to go to prison” over what had happened.
Commenting later on her words, Docherty added:
“I informed BBC that I would be willing to go to prison on the issue because I am unshakeably convinced that nobody should be criminalised for a peaceful offer to speak on any public land in Britain.
“This is a free and democratic society, and no threat of imprisonment will change my mind that what I did was right, completely harmless and in accordance with the purpose and intention of international human rights laws.”
Parliamentarians begin efforts to expand censorial zone
Video: Rose Docherty was arrested in February 2025
Gillian Mackay MSP, the parliamentarian responsible for introducing “buffer zones” legislation in 2024, has now suggested that the Scottish government consider expanding the area of prohibition on “influence” outside hospitals.
Claiming that members of the public have said they still feel intimidated by the presence of pro-life individuals 200m from a hospital, the Green Party parliamentarian said: “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.“
Responding to recent efforts to expand the buffer zone, Docherty said “I believe it wouldn’t matter where we stood…it wouldn’t matter how far they pushed the ‘buffer zone.’”
Speaking to ADF International, she added, “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 behaviour. But merely offering conversations near a hospital is not a crime.”
A Scottish government spokeswoman 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.
She added: “However, before taking such a step, it is essential that ministers are satisfied such an extension is appropriate.
“We have engaged with the relevant health board to understand any impacts the anti-abortion activity outside of the safe access zone may be having on patients and staff.”
Buffer zone law could ban prayer within homes – “depending on who’s passing by the window”
In February, Gillian Mackay MSP admitted that prayer by a window in one’s own home could be an offence within a buffer zone – depending on who is passing by.
Again speaking to BBC’s “Scotcast” Podcast, the Green Party Politician repeatedly denied that prayer was being criminalised under the law. But when asked if “performative prayer” with “clasped hands”, visible from a window, could be prosecuted, she responded: “well, that depends on who’s passing by the window…”
The admission came despite previously accusing US President JD Vance of spreading “shameless misinformation” when he highlighted concerns that “even private prayer within [people’s] own homes may amount to breaking the law” in his Munich Security Conference Speech earlier this year.
Lois McLatchie Miller, Scottish spokesperson for ADF International, said:
“The ‘buffer zones’ law is fundamentally flawed when it comes to undermining basic freedoms of speech, thought, and religion. We all stand firmly against harassment, which is already illegal – but the law goes far beyond that in preventing people from praying or holding consensual conversations in large public areas of Scotland.
“We were concerned when such legislation was proposed that we’d witness a slippery slope of censorship. Less than a year after the bill passing, already, politicians are considering expanding the ‘buffer zone’ area, which would restrict free speech in an even larger public area. Who are the authorities to determine which conversations members of the public do or don’t want to have?”
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PICTURED: Rose Docherty; Lois McLatchie Miller, ADF International
