The dangers of imported American culture wars
The US anti-abortion movement is more emboldened than it has been in years, largely due to Trump removing nearly all protections for abortion providers. He has instructed federal prosecutors to limit enforcement of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (Face), which was introduced in response to violence against abortion clinics and staff, including the murder of doctors. In January, Trump also chose to pardon 23 anti-abortion activists who had been jailed for invading and blockading abortion clinics under the Face Act.
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The chilling events of the weekend should give us pause for thought here in Scotland. The hard-won Safe Access Zones Act, which keeps anti-abortion protesters 200 metres away from hospitals providing abortion services, came about in direct response to the importation of US-style clinic protests. Although many of the protesters were locals, they were recruited and organised by Texan anti-abortion organisation 40 Days for Life. I first witnessed the protests while living near the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, and the unmistakably US overtones – the signs, the fanaticism – made my blood run cold. Abortion rights in Scotland are under attack with the help of US dollars.
When anti-abortion activist Rose Docherty flouted the new buffer zone legislation, she was swiftly lionised by the Alliance Defending Freedom – an American legal advocacy group categorised as an extremist homophobic hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Centre. She was framed as a persecuted victim of state overreach, rather than someone deliberately undermining public health protections.
An even more disturbing example came when JD Vance grossly misrepresented Scotland's buffer zone laws, which led to a surge in abuse directed at MSP Gillian Mackay. Mackay, who spearheaded the buffer zones bill, was called a 'baby killer', received emails suggesting her abusers knew her home address, and was even sent rape threats – all while she was pregnant.
The recent events in America are existentially terrifying, threatening our sense of freedom, peace, and democracy. It would be a grave mistake to assume that such extremism cannot reach our shores. It already has. Attempts to undermine our laws and the will of our parliament are not theoretical – they are happening right now.
Yet, watching so many Americans take to the streets in defence of the freedoms they cherish gives me hope. I have faith in them – and I have faith in us.
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The Guardian
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