Rose Docherty, a 74-year-old Scottish woman who was the first to be arrested under the Scotland’s controversial abortion clinic “buffer zone” laws, has said she is willing to go to prison rather than accept any accusations of wrongdoing.
Docherty was arrested outside Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. She had been standing silently with a sign that read "Coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want".
She was arrested under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act, which forbids protests or vigils from taking place within 650 feet of certain abortion clinics. Under the law, harassing, disturbing or even attempting to influence a woman trying to use an abortion facility is forbidden.
Docherty rejects the notion that she breached the law, noting that she had done none of those things and was simply making an offer of conversation.
She told the BBC, “The reason for us standing there and praying was so that people could see there was help if they wanted to come and access it. Now to be moved to a different location means you’re less visible and that offer of help is less visible.”
Docherty also took issue with claims that she is part of a protest movement, “It’s actually not a protest group … it’s a peaceful prayer group offering an alternative help and support if people want to come and ask for help and support.”
Her future is currently uncertain after she refused to accept what she called an “unjust” warning. A letter from the Crown Office informed her that she would not be prosecuted if she accepted a warning from the procurator fiscal.
Having refused the warning, the ball is now very much with the procurator fiscal.
Docherty admitted that she had no idea what might happen next, but said that, if it came to it, she would be willing to go to prison for her actions.
