Scottish Bishops Warn Buffer Zone Law Threatens Freedoms
Catholic bishops in Scotland have issued a strong warning over the country’s newly enforced buffer zone legislation around abortion facilities, arguing that it poses a serious threat to fundamental civil liberties. The law establishes exclusion zones of up to 200 meters around clinics, where actions considered to influence abortion decisions may be treated as criminal offenses. According to the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, the legislation goes far beyond preventing harassment and instead risks undermining freedoms of speech, conscience, and religion. In a public statement, the bishops said the measure is disproportionate and undemocratic, cautioning that its broad wording could criminalize peaceful and non intrusive behavior. Their intervention comes amid growing debate over how the law will be interpreted and enforced, particularly in cases involving prayer, silent presence, or private expression of belief.
The bishops expressed particular concern that activities traditionally associated with peaceful witness may now fall within the scope of criminal sanction. Government guidance indicates that silent vigils, religious preaching, distributing leaflets, or even approaching someone to offer conversation could be considered offenses within the zones. Church leaders said it was deeply troubling that the first charge under the law has already been brought, involving an elderly woman who was standing silently near a hospital holding a sign offering conversation without pressure. For the bishops, this case illustrates how the legislation risks targeting intention rather than action, raising fears of what they described as the policing of thought. They noted that even law enforcement officials have voiced unease about enforcing a law that requires judgments about internal motivation rather than observable behavior.
Another element highlighted by the bishops is the law’s potential reach into private life. Because the buffer zones extend to homes located within designated areas, ordinary actions such as displaying a poster in a window, speaking with visitors, or praying near a window could theoretically be subject to investigation. Church leaders said this aspect of the law undermines long held protections for private conscience and domestic freedom. They also warned that the legislation could have unintended consequences for women themselves, particularly those facing crisis pregnancies who may be deprived of opportunities to access support or alternative perspectives. A measure presented as protecting choice, they argued, risks narrowing the range of voices allowed in public discourse and eliminating peaceful options for engagement.
The bishops noted that attempts to soften the law through amendments were unsuccessful. Proposals for exemptions, including protections for chaplains engaged in pastoral conversation or a general reasonableness defense, were either rejected or withdrawn during the legislative process. In their statement, the bishops reaffirmed their opposition to harassment and intimidation while insisting that compassionate witness and prayer must not be treated as criminal acts. As Scotland continues to implement the buffer zones, Church leaders say the debate raises wider questions about the balance between public order and civil liberty. They concluded that a society committed to democratic values must safeguard the right of ordinary citizens to express conviction peacefully, especially on matters involving human life.
