A 74-year-old Scottish grandmother has said she is willing to go to prison for her right to free speech after she was arrested for holding a sign saying “coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want”.

Rose Docherty held the sign near a Glasgow hospital within the so-called “buffer zone” where it is illegal to "harass, intimidate, or influence” women seeking abortion services.

Alliance Defending Freedom International reported on the incident, with spokesperson Lois McLatchie Miller saying:

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. 

The ADF’s explainer video on these censorship laws can be watched here.

In the wake of Rose Docherty’s arrest, Scottish Greens MP Gillian Mackay now wants to extend the Scottish buffer zones even though they’re already the biggest in the world.

Ms Docherty is standing strong, though, saying:

“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.”

Ms Docherty is just the latest in a long line of Christians being arrested for simply offering prayer or a conversation. HRLA has covered a number of similar cases including:

• Medical scientist Dr Livia Tossici-Bolt convicted for holding a sign saying “here if you need to talk”.
• British army veteran Adam Smith-Connor was convicted for praying silently for his own aborted son near an abortion clinic.
• 72yo preacher Stephen Green charged for holding a sign with a Bible verse.

Australia’s own exclusion zone laws continue to hang over the heads of Christians exercising their freedom of speech and religion. As the recent passage of NSW abortion reform laws has shown, abortion laws in this country continue to pose a threat to the religious and conscience rights of medical professionals and hospitals. HRLA continues to work hard to protect these fundamental freedoms for all Australians.