Woman arrested under abortion buffer zone law faces no further action

The first woman arrested under Scotland’s abortion buffer zones law will face no further action from prosecutors.

Rose Docherty, 75, was arrested after police were called to reports of an anti-abortion protest in Hardgate Road in Glasgow, near the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH), in February.

She had been holding a sign that read: “Coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want.”

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said it has now decided no further action should be taken at this time.

A COPFS spokesperson said: “The procurator fiscal received a report relating to a 75-year-old female and an incident said to have occurred on February 19, 2025.

“Professional prosecutors from COPFS considered the report. All Scotland’s prosecutors operate independently of political influence.

“After careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case, including the available admissible evidence, it was decided that there should be no further action taken at this time.

“The Crown reserves the right to take proceedings in relation to this incident in the future.”

Ms Docherty, who was supported by the legal team at Alliance Defending Freedom International, welcomed the news.

She said: “This is a victory not just for me, but for everyone in Scotland who believes we should be free to hold a peaceful conversation.

“I stood with love and compassion, ready to listen to anyone who wanted to talk. Criminalising kindness has no place in a free society.”

The Safe Access Zones Act was overwhelmingly passed by MSPs last year and came into force in September.

The legislation prevents anti-abortion protesters from gathering within 200 metres of clinics where terminations are carried out.

Before the law change, hospitals such as the QEUH in Glasgow had become a frequent target of anti-abortion protesters in recent years.