Scotland – Google panned for giving free ads to UK anti-abortion groups

Nov 30, 2025
By James Walker

GOOGLE has been giving free advertising to anti-abortion groups targeting pregnant women in Scotland and across the UK, the Sunday National can reveal.

Several crisis pregnancy helplines covertly run by anti-abortion groups have been given free ads throughout 2025 via Google Ad Grants – a scheme which gives nonprofits up to £7000 per month of free search advertising.

Continued: https://archive.is/m8xn2
(https://www.thenational.scot/news/25658467.google-panned-giving-free-ads-uk-anti-abortion-groups/)

30.11.2025

News

anti-choice ads

anti-choice advertising

Inside the right-wing push against abortion rights in Scotland

Nov 30, 2025
By James Walker

A RECENT review of Scotland's abortion laws led to widespread right-wing outrage last week. One clip that went particularly viral was a GB News segment featuring Lois McLatchie Miller, who works for Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF).

“The Scottish Government have commissioned a report to suggest that they allow abortion all the way up to birth for most social reasons,” she told the broadcaster’s presenters.

Continued: https://archive.is/lcmwa
(https://www.thenational.scot/news/25659692.inside-right-wing-push-abortion-rights-scotland/)

SCOTLAND – Gillian Mackay slams JD Vance attacks on buffer zones bill

18th October
By Fiona Brown

GILLIAN Mackay has slammed US vice president JD Vance’s attacks on the abortion buffer zones bill.

… During her speech at the Scottish Greens conference on Saturday, party co-leader Mackay called out “anti-choice protesters” misrepresenting the bill, including Vance.

“You can imagine my reaction when I found out that it was also the Vice President of the United States,” Mackay said.

Continued: https://www.thenational.scot/news/25553346.gillian-mackay-slams-jd-vance-attacks-buffer-zones-bill/

18.10.2025

News

abortion buffer zones

SCOTLAND – Anti-abortion campaigner arrested for second time

BBC
Sep 27, 2025

A 75-year-old woman has been arrested for a second time for taking part in an anti-abortion protest outside a hospital in Glasgow. Rose Docherty was detained on Hardgate Road, outside the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, on Wednesday while carrying a placard which stated "Coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want."

She was arrested, charged and released on bail under a new law that created buffer zones outside Scottish abortion clinics.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq65q455gn0o

27.09.2025

News

Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act

buffer zones

Gillian Mackay

Queen Elizabeth University hospital

Scotland – Woman arrested at anti-abortion protest faces no further action

Aug 14, 2025
Katy Scott, BBC Scotland News

A woman who was arrested for taking part in an anti-abortion protest outside a hospital in Glasgow will face no further action.

Rose Docherty, 75, was the first person to be charged under a new law that created buffer zones outside Scottish abortion clinics.

She had been taking part in a demonstration close to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in February.

Continued; https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8ry0e8k77ko

Edinburgh abortion clinic set for fresh round of harassment from US religious group – despite buffer zone laws

Ruth Suter & Chloe Goodall
Fri 4 July 2025

An Edinburgh clinic is set to endure a fresh round of anti-abortion harassment from an American religious group despite new laws designed to prevent protests taking place near clinics.

The Texas-based group, 40 Days for Life, announced online that it will hold a series of "prayer vigils" near Chalmers Clinic in September. The activity is expected to last for 40 days and will commence from September 24 with the last "vigil" to take place on November 2.

Continued: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/edinburgh-abortion-clinic-set-fresh-180623994.html

Scotland – Arrested anti-abortion protester ‘willing to go to jail’

May 15, 2025

A woman who was arrested for taking part in an anti-abortion protest outside of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow has said she is prepared to go to prison over the offence.

Rose Docherty, 74, became the first person to be arrested and charged under a new law which creates buffer zones outside Scottish abortion clinics in February.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c36507lw234o

15.05.2025

News

40 days for life

Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act

anti-choice protesters

Dr Greg Irwin

Gillian Mackay

JD Vance

Queen Elizabeth University hospital

Scotland – Abortion buffer zone legislation not enforceable when clinics closed, police say

Monday 28 April 2025

Abortion buffer zones cannot be enforced when clinics are closed, police have said in an email seen by the PA news agency.

The legislation – which started as a member’s Bill proposed by Green MSP Gillian Mackay – enforced 200-metre exclusion zones around 30 sites in Scotland in an attempt to limit protests held outside of clinics.

But in an email between a police inspector in Glasgow and an MSP – passed to PA by a third party – the officer says legal advice from Police Scotland lawyers and the Crown Office concluded the legislation cannot be enforced when clinics are not operating.

Continued: https://www.itv.com/news/2025-04-27/abortion-buffer-zone-legislation-not-enforceable-when-clinics-closed-police-say

28.04.2025

Scottish Family Party

Scottish Government told to consider expanding abortion buffer zones around hospitals

Neil Pooran & Ryan Thom
Sat 26 April 2025

The Scottish Government must consider expanding the size of the buffer zone around a hospital where anti-abortion demonstrations are banned, the MSP behind the legislation has said.

Gillian Mackay said protesters have been gathering just outside the 200m exclusion zone around the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow.

Continued: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/scottish-government-told-consider-expanding-134557615.html

26.04.2025

News

buffer zones

Gillian Mackay

Queen Elizabeth University hospital

More than 100 anti-abortion protesters target Glasgow hospital

Apr 14, 2025
By Gemma Clark

MORE than 100 anti-abortion protesters gathered near Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital on Sunday evening. The event was part of the Texas-based group 40 Days for Life’s efforts to "pray to end abortion" around the world.

… Sunday's protest demonstrates just how close anti-abortion activists can still get to hospitals, and serves as a reminder of how modest the original buffer zone proposals were.

Continued: https://www.thenational.scot/news/25088171.100-anti-abortion-protesters-target-glasgow-hospital/

14.04.2025