Elderly woman arrested for silent prayer at clinic

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A 74-year-old woman faces criminal charges for silently praying outside a Scottish abortion clinic, marking the first arrest under Scotland’s recently enacted Safe Access Zones legislation. The incident occurred shortly after U.S. Vice President JD Vance drew attention to the UK’s restrictive speech laws.

The legislation, implemented last year, establishes 200-meter buffer zones around abortion facilities in Scotland, similar to measures already in place across England and Wales.

During the incident, which was captured on video and shared across social media platforms, the elderly woman questioned police about whether she was breaking the law. An officer confirmed her silent vigil constituted an offense. The woman was holding a sign that stated “Coercion is a crime. I’m here to talk, only if you want.”

BREAKING: This week, Rose Docherty, an elderly 74-year-old woman in Scotland, was arrested for standing quietly near a hospital holding a sign: "Coercion is a crime. Here to talk, only if you want."

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Yes, she was arrested for "thought crimes" and became the first person to be… pic.twitter.com/iBUGaVxAwt

— Kristan Hawkins (@KristanHawkins) February 21, 2025

Under the buffer zone regulations, individuals face penalties of up to £10,000, with potentially unlimited fines for serious violations, for attempting to influence women’s abortion decisions near clinics. The law also prohibits blocking access or causing distress to clinic visitors.

The broad scope of these regulations has sparked controversy, particularly regarding the criminalization of silent prayer. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Vice President Vance criticized these laws as evidence of declining free speech protections in Europe.

Vance specifically referenced communications from the Scottish government to residents within buffer zones, suggesting that even private prayer at home could potentially violate the law. Green Party MSP Gillian Mackay, who authored the legislation, dismissed Vance’s comments as “shameless misinformation” and “dangerous scaremongering.” Government officials denied sending warnings about home prayer.

BREAKING: A 74-year-old grandmother was arrested in Scotland today for silently praying outside a hospital committing abortions.

She held a sign that said, "Coercion is a crime. Here to talk—only if you want"

Over 60% of women feel pressure to abort.

Her name is Rose Docherty. pic.twitter.com/eaWwSq5fIe

— Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose) February 20, 2025

However, official correspondence to residents stated that while offenses typically apply to public spaces within Safe Access Zones, activities on private property could violate the law if visible or audible from within the zone. The letters encouraged residents to report suspected violations to law enforcement.

Defenders of the government maintain the communications merely addressed protests on private property rather than private prayer. With the legislation still in its early stages, the interpretation and enforcement of these regulations, particularly regarding private property, remain uncertain.

This legislation follows Scotland’s previous implementation of the Hate Crime and Public Order Act, which extends speech restrictions into private homes by criminalizing the incitement of hatred against protected groups, even within domestic settings.