Woman, 74, charged under abortion protest law

A 74-year-old woman has become the first person to be arrested and charged under a Scottish law banning protests outside abortion clinics.

She was arrested close to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow and was charged in connection with breach of an exclusion zone.

Officers removed a sign from the area - which had been held by the woman who was arrested - that read "coercion is a crime, here to talk, only if you want".

The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act came into force last year.

The woman was arrested near the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow

The legislation prevents any protests or vigils taking place within 200m (656ft) of 30 clinics offering abortion services in Scotland.

US Vice-President JD Vance took aim at the bill last week, incorrectly claiming people who live within safe access zones had been sent letters by the Scottish government warning them about praying within their homes.

First Minister John Swinney said Vance's claims were "just wrong".

The Scottish government said no letters had been sent out saying people couldn't pray in their homes, and only "intentional or reckless behaviour" was covered by the act.

The vice-president was accused of "spreading misinformation" by Scottish Greens MSP Gillian Mackay, who drew up the law.

Police Scotland said it received a report of people protesting near the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital at about 14:00.

The force said officers remained at the scene and that inquiries were ongoing.

Previous protests outside abortion clinics prompted parliament to introduce buffer zones

Gillian Mackay said: "The protests that have taken place outside Queen Elizabeth have been utterly shameful and I am grateful to Police Scotland for acting so quickly.

"This kind of intimidation has no place in a modern or progressive Scotland. Everybody deserves to have access to healthcare without harassment."

Anti-abortion group 40 Days for Life has advertised a spring vigil near the hospital starting next month.

BBC Scotland News has asked the group to comment.

Mackay added: "I urge 40 Days For Life and anyone else who is planning to protest in a safe access zone to think again, as they will be stopped and there will be consequences."

The abortion zones law aims to stop the harassment of patients.

Within the buffer zones, it is a criminal offence to behave in ways that could influence the decisions of women and staff to access services.

Stopping women and staff from entering the clinics or otherwise causing alarm, harassment or distress is also an offence.

Those who break the laws could be fined up to £10,000 or an unlimited amount in more serious cases.