Claim:

On 23 September 2021 The Daily Record reported the experiences of a student, Lily Roberts, who had an abortion at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow in March 2018

“I went in at 7am and was confronted by around 15 to 20 protesters with placards and they were handing out cards.”

“I was dreading coming out the hospital because there was essentially a full picket line of people I had to walk through.”

Source: Daily Record 23 Sep 21

A similar report was carried by STV on 1 October 2021

On 16 September 2022 Lily retold her story to The Guardian adding that she saw:

“protestors with big placards calling me a murderer, saying: ‘Jesus loves you and your baby – we can help’

Source: The Guardian 16 Sep 22

Assessment:

In March 2018, the group 40 Days for Life held a vigil at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. On 25 March 2018, 40 Days for Life Glasgow featured in this YouTube video which included an interview with the group’s organiser. She says:

“we have been praying in the streets outside the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital every day, since Ash Wednesday, from 8 o’clock in the morning up until 8 o’clock in the evening”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3P5gA9lZNE&t=228s

The Glasgow 40 Days vigil is located at the junction of Hardgate Road and Langlands Drive, outside the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. The vigil is located on the opposite side of the road, approx 25 metres from the Hospital entrance. Behind the vigil is an approx 8-10 foot high wire fence and a patch of waste ground. The vigil group can be seen standing against the fence in earlier sections of the video, above.

This satellite image, from Google Maps shows the vigil location and may show the actual 40 Days group:

This image, also from Google Maps, shows the Glasgow vigil location but with public transport stops marked. There are 2 bus stops on Hardgate Road which are approx 50 metres from the vigil location. A bus stop on Langlands Drive is closer to the Hospital entrance than the vigil group’s location. A car park is also closer to the Hospital than the vigil group.

Vigils at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. Lily’s organisation, Back Off Scotland have taken pictures of 40 Days for Life vigils and given them to to media organisations including the Daily Record: here, here, and here (40 Days at Glasgow Royal Infirmary), as well as the BBC.

Conclusion: INCORRECT

Lily Roberts was not confronted with 15 – 20 protesters at 7am in March 2018. The Glasgow 40 Days vigil did not begin until 8am and, at that early hour, did not attract 15 – 20 participants.

Lily Roberts did not have to walk through a “full picket line.” If arriving by car she would have been able to park closer to the Hospital than the vigil group. If arriving / leaving by bus she could have avoided direct contact with the group at any of the 3 bus stops nearest the Hospital. If she had decided to cross Hardgate Road and go “through” the vigil group she would have faced an 8 – 10 foot high secure fence enclosing waste ground which does not lead anywhere.

These claims are therefore rated as INCORRECT

Lily Roberts did not provide any evidence for the placards she said she saw, despite her organisation having photographed vigils on many occasions. This claim is UNPROVEN.