World
Grandmother arrested at abortion clinic warns of expanding free speech 'buffer zones'
A grandmother in the U.K. who was arrested for holding a sign outside an abortion clinic is sounding the alarm against further attacks on free speech as lawmakers move to expand so-called “buffer zones” outside such facilities.
Rose Docherty, 74, was arrested in Glasgow, Scotland near the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in February for holding a sign that read: “Coercion is a crime, here to talk if you want.”
Docherty was the first person to be arrested and charged under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act, which went into effect in September, the BBC reported.
The law prohibits any protests or vigils from taking place within 200m or 656ft of 30 clinics offering abortion services in Scotland, but the law specifies that the Safe Access Zone could be extended if considered appropriate.
Docherty’s arrest came just days after Vice President JD Vance highlighted the law as an example of free speech being under attack in the U.K.
Rose Docherty, 74, was arrested in Glasgow, Scotland near the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in February for holding a sign that read: “Coercion is a crime, here to talk if you want.” (Rose Docherty)
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Now, Gillian Mackay, the Green Party parliamentarian responsible for introducing the buffer zones legislation, has now suggested that the Scottish government consider expanding the area of prohibition on “influence” outside hospitals, according to ADF International, a Christian legal advocacy group.
Docherty has rejected a formal warning from the Crown Office – arguing that it was “unjust” – and is waiting to find out what action may now be taken against her.
In her first broadcast interview since her arrest, she told the BBC she had “no reason to regret” the incident, noting it was an “alarming” and “surreal” experience.
She said she had read the law and believed her actions did not violate the legislation.
“I gave consideration to what I was doing…I looked at the law and saw what it said I couldn’t do, and thought, OK, well, this is what I can do…I can offer to listen, and if anyone wants to come and speak to me, they can do so, only if they want to come and speak with me,” she told BBC’s Scotcast.
She said she is prepared to go to prison over the offense.
Docherty has also said that the government essentially wants to stamp out any opposition to abortion.
“I believe it wouldn’t matter where we stood…it wouldn’t matter how far they pushed the ‘buffer zone,’” she told ADF International, a Christian legal advocacy group.
Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, left, poses for a photograph with Scottish Green MSP Gillian Mackay, right, in the lobby of the Scottish Parliament, in support of Mackay’s “buffer zones” bill on June 27, 2023 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Ken Jack/Getty Images)
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“It wouldn’t matter where we stood –201 meters, or 500 meters away – it seems the authorities would still try to crack down harshly and unfairly on individuals because the government simply disagree with their point of view. This is unjust – of course, there should be laws against harassment, and we all condemn such behavior. But merely offering conversations near a hospital is not a crime.”
Dr Greg Irwin, a doctor at the QEUH, was pictured confronting a group of protesters in February 2023, saying that they “cause emotional upset to patients, but also to staff members,” per the BBC. Groups have been protesting outside the hospital for 10 years, leading to the passing of the Safe Access Zones Act.
Mackay said patients and staff had told her that they still had to pass the protesters when attending the QEUH leading to distress.
“I think it’s appropriate that we take those concerns seriously and the government take a look at whether an extension is appropriate or not,” Mackay told the BBC.
The act allows ministers to extend the size of a buffer zone if it is decided that the existing zone is not adequate, a Scottish government spokesperson told the outlet.
Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was arrested for praying silently outside an abortion clinic in Birmingham, England. (Alliance Defending Freedom UK)
Docherty isn’t the first person to be arrested outside abortion facilities.
For instance, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, a prominent pro-life activist, was arrested twice in Birmingham for silently praying without any signs near an abortion facility within a buffer zone. She was arrested under a local law known as a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). She was later awarded $13,000 in compensation for wrongful arrests, according to Christian Today.
The U.K. has drawn international attention for its alleged clampdown on free speech. A number of people have been investigated and arrested for social media posts.
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An Air India passenger plane carrying more than 200 people crashed Thursday after taking off from an airport in the Indian city of Ahmedabad, with a police official saying it “appears there are no survivors.”
Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar five minutes after taking off at 1:38 p.m. local time. There were 242 passengers and crew members onboard the flight.
“It appears there are no survivors in the plane crash,” Ahmedabad’s city police commissioner, G.S. Malik, told the Associated Press. He also said to Reuters that 204 bodies have been retrieved from the crash site.
Malik added that with the plane crashing in a residential area with offices, “some locals would have also died.”
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This photo shared on X by India’s Central Industrial Security Force shows debris of a plane that crashed in the northwestern Indian city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, June 12, 2025. (Central Industrial Security Force on X via AP)
Local media showed smoke billowing from the crash site near the airport in northwestern India. The plane issued a “mayday” call to air traffic control before plunging out of the sky, Reuters reported.
“With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event,” Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran wrote on X.
Rescue team members work as smoke rises at the site where an Air India plane crashed in Ahmedabad, India, on Thursday, June 12, 2025. (Reuters/Amit Dave/TPX Images of the Day)
“At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted,” Chandrasekaran added.
Air India said of those onboard the plane, 169 are from India, 53 are from Britain, 7 are from Portugal and 1 is from Canada. The injured are being taken to local hospitals.
“The building on which it has crashed is a doctors’ hostel… we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon,” a senior police officer told Reuters.
The Air India passenger plane crashed on Thursday, June 12, 2025, shortly after takeoff. (Mohan Nakum via AP; AP/Ajit Solanki)
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The Federal Aviation Administration said “The FAA is in contact with the NTSB regarding Air India flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad (AMD) to London Gatwick (LGW), that was involved in an accident in India on Thursday, June 12.
“When an international incident occurs, that government leads the investigation. In the event assistance is requested, the NTSB is the official U.S. representative and the FAA provides technical support. We stand ready to launch a team immediately in coordination with the NTSB,” it added.
People stand around the debris of an airplane after it crashed in India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, on Thursday, June 12, 2025. (AP/Ajit Solanki)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us.
“It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected,” he said.
A tail of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane that crashed is seen stuck on a building after the incident in Ahmedabad, India. (Reuters/Amit Dave/TPX Images of the Day)
“The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer added.
India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu posted on X that rescue teams have been mobilized, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support at the site.
Firefighters work to put out a fire at the site of the crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday, June 12, 2025. (Reuters/Amit Dave/TPX Images of the Day)
“We are on highest alert. I am personally monitoring the situation,” he said.
The 787 Dreamliner is a widebody, twin-engine plane. This is the first crash ever of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.
Air India flight AI 171 was heading from Ahmedabad to London. (Fox News)
The aircraft was introduced in 2009 and more than 1,000 have been delivered to dozens of airlines, Flightradar24 reported.
“We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected,” Boeing said in a statement.
In August 2020 an Air India Express Boeing-737 skidded off a hilltop runway in southern India, killing 21 people.
A map showing the location where the Air India plane crashed. (Fox News)
The worst air disaster in India was on Nov. 12, 1996, when a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight collided midair with a Kazakhastan Airlines Flight near Charki Dadri in Haryana state, killing all 349 on board the two planes.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Thursday that Russia has lost over 1 million troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion. Kyiv says the 1 million mark is not just a statistic, but “a symbol of resistance and resilience”.
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