The Trump administration sharply criticized Scottish authorities for arresting a 75-year-old pro-life grandmother who was peacefully holding a sign outside an abortion facility in Glasgow.
Trump officials are calling the incident a “tyrannical” assault on free speech.
The U.S. State Department described the arrest of Rose Docherty as “another egregious example of the tyrannical suppression of free speech happening across Europe.”
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Officials added, “When 75-year-old grandmothers are being arrested for standing peacefully and offering conversation, common sense and basic civility are under attack.”
The department vowed, “The United States will always speak out against these violations of fundamental rights.”
Docherty’s detention marks the second time she has been taken into custody for her silent vigil, which involved holding a sign inviting passersby to talk about alternatives to abortion and to not be pressured to have one – which is the situation a majority of the time.
The incident unfolded under Scotland’s Safe Access Zones Act, a speech-crushing law enacted last year that prohibits even praying or speaking to anyone within 200 meters of abortion centers, including silent prayer or displays of pro-life materials.
Docherty stood motionless on a public sidewalk outside the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital’s abortion center, her sign reading. She made no attempt to approach or speak to anyone entering the facility.
Within minutes, police officers approached, seized the sign and detained her for violating the buffer zone law, according to ADF International, a pro-life legal advocacy group representing her.
“I held my sign with love and compassion, inviting anyone who wants to chat, to do so – and stood peacefully, not approaching anyone,” Docherty said in a statement provided by ADF. “Everybody has the right to engage in consensual conversation.”
The grandmother was released without charges after several hours in custody but faces a potential court date next year. This follows a similar arrest in March, when she was detained for praying silently in the same location. In that case, prosecutors dropped the charges, acknowledging the ambiguity in the law’s application.
Lorcan Price, legal counsel for ADF International, decried the prioritization of the case amid Scotland’s rising crime rates.
“It’s deeply concerning that Scottish policing resources are being ploughed into arresting and prosecuting a peaceful grandmother offering to speak to people in public, rather than focusing on the problems caused by real crime in Glasgow,” Price said.
He emphasized, “This is not a case about harassment, intimidation or violent protest – this is simply a grandmother, who held a sign offering to speak to anyone who would like to engage.”
