Scotland’s abortion buffer zone law will face a “real test” today as a series of protest prayer vigils are due to begin.
Green MSP Gillian Mackay said she will work with police and health authorities to ensure the Safe Access Zones Act is upheld.
Anti-abortion group 40 Days For Life is due to begin a series of “vigils” in Glasgow.
However the group has said it will stay outside the 200-metre exclusion zone in place around the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
These are due to take place on Hardgate Road, across from the hospital, from March 5 until April 13.
In February, a 74-year-old woman became the first person in Scotland to be arrested over an alleged breach of the legislation.
“I will work with Police Scotland and health providers to ensure that it is upheld and that people are able to access healthcare free from intimidation and harassment.
“For far too long, women have had to endure totally unacceptable abuse and obstruction outside hospitals. It should never have happened, and my Act to stop it received the overwhelming support of our parliament.
“I urge anyone else who is planning to protest to look at the testimonies from people who have had to endure gauntlets of graphic banners and ask themselves if they really want to be responsible for causing even more pain and upset.”
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Earlier, an organiser for 40 Days for Life pledged not to beach the law.
Mary Gilroy said: “The 40 Days for Life prayer group will not be operating within the buffer zone but will instead pray for help and protection for mothers and their unborn babies from a 200-metre distance from the abortion facility.
“We have arranged to meet with police services ahead of the planned dates and are grateful for our good working relations that protect our ability to pray
“We invite anyone who wants to chat to us about support for continuing their pregnancy to feel free to do so.
“In a nation like Scotland, it should never be illegal to pray or to have a consensual conversation.”
Prayer vigils returned to Scottish Streets last month after a speech by US Vice President JD Vance which spread falsehoods about how the law is applied.
The American wrongly claimed that the Scottish Government had begun distributing letters to residents in the buffer zones “warning them that even private prayer within their own homes may amount to breaking the law”, and to “report any fellow citizens suspected guilty of thought crime”.
Campaigners who called for the buffer zones to be created around hospitals said they faced a ‘torrent of abuse’ after the US Vice President's remarks.
Writing in The Herald, Back off Scotland co-founder Lucy Grieve said that the group had been targeted online by right wing supporters of the ‘Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement in the days after Mr Vance’s speech.
She said that the group were used to facing abuse from Anti-abortion campaigners, including “threats of litigation, accusations of murder” and "menacing phone calls in the middle of the night.”
Ms Grieve said: “None of this was as bad as the torrent of online abuse we have received from President Trump’s Make America Great Again ‘MAGA’ supporters over the past week, all stemming from a falsehood spread by US Vice-President JD Vance.”
She added: “Whilst we are no strangers to online abuse, the wave of harassment we faced following these erroneous claims, were on another level entirely. Somehow, our campaign found itself in the crosshairs of ‘MAGA’ supporters and the floodgates opened.
“Swathes of abusive comments, messages, and emails appeared in our inbox over the last week – many from nameless, faceless accounts that existed solely to spread vitriol and target opponents of Trump and Vance.”
The campaigner said she now fears that woman may be put off coming forward with their own testimonies, while activists’ safety could be at risk.
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