A 74-year-old woman has become the first person charged under Scotland’s controversial abortion buffer zone law. Despite standing quietly with a sign that read, “Coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want,” she was handcuffed and detained under new restrictions that ban protests—including silent prayer—within 200 meters of abortion clinics.
The law, which came into effect late last year, was recently criticized by U.S. Vice President JD Vance as an example of Europe’s “enemy within.” While British politicians insisted the law only targets behavior causing “harassment, alarm, or distress,” legal experts warn its vague wording could criminalize private discussions about abortion—even inside a person’s home if overheard.
Scottish Greens MSP Gillian Mackay, who championed the bill, called the woman’s actions “utterly shameful,” yet footage shared by the Scottish Family Party suggests otherwise. Rather than engaging in aggression or disruption, she simply stood in silence.
Under the new law, penalties for breaking the buffer zone rules can reach £10,000—or even higher in “serious cases,” though how that’s determined remains unclear. Critics argue it’s less about protecting women and more about policing thought and speech.
