Scottish pensioner arrested for protesting against abortions
Human rights advocates say that even “talking about abortion at home” could now be treated as a criminal offense in Scotland.
A 74-year-old woman from Edinburgh, Scotland, became the first person to be charged under Scotland’s new abortion “buffer zone” law, according to European Conservative.
The report says the pensioner was handcuffed and detained under the new rules that came into force in late 2024. The law establishes a 200-meter zone around abortion clinics in which “protests,” including silent ones, are prohibited.
During a speech in Munich, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance mentioned the law, calling it an example of Europe’s “enemy within.”
British politicians rushed to deny claims that discussions about the harm of abortion are banned not only within the “buffer zone,” but even in people’s own homes. Officials said the legislation covers only actions that cause “harassment, alarm, or distress” to others.
The legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom, however, has suggested that even “having a conversation about abortion in your OWN HOME while the windows are open” could now be a criminal offense in Scotland.
The arrested woman, the report says, was standing silently holding a sign that read: “Coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want.”
It is also noted that those found to be in breach of the new restrictions on freedom of speech can be fined up to £10,000 (about €12,000) – or an unlimited amount in more serious cases, depending on how the offense is classified.
Earlier, it was reported that police in England issued a warning to an anti-abortion activist for praying near a clinic.
