Scottish police receive thousands of reports after new hate crime law

Police at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, before the National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication for King Charles III and Queen Camilla, and the presentation of the Honours of Scotland. Picture date: Wednesday July 5, 2023. Robert Perry/Pool via REUTERS/ File photo

LONDON (Reuters) – Scottish police said on Wednesday they had received more than 7,000 online reports of offences in the first week since the introduction of a new hate crime law that opponents say could curb free speech and waste police time.

The law, brought in by a devolved government controlled by the centre-left pro-independence Scottish National Party, bans stirring hatred based on age, disability, religion, sexual orientation or transgender identity.

Its critics have included Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, a prominent campaigner for the view that biological sex cannot be changed, who, on the day the law took effect, named a number of transgender women on social media and said they were men. Police have said she would not face any action over her comments.

Police Scotland said 7,152 online hate reports – most of which were anonymous – were made in the first week of April, which it said was a “substantial” rise. During the week, police recorded 240 incidents as hate crimes and 30 as potential hate incidents that did not reach the criminal threshold.

“This significant demand continues to be managed within our contact centres and so far the impact on frontline policing, our ability to answer calls and respond to those who need our help in communities across Scotland has been minimal,” a spokesperson said.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, whose Conservative Party opposes the law, has said people should not be criminalised for saying “common sense” things about biological sex.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Police Federation, which represents all but high-ranking officers, had warned it was going to create a lot of extra work for its members.

However, Scotland’s Justice Secretary Angela Constance said the number of reports had fallen by 90% during the first week.

“The Hate Crime Act does not prevent people expressing controversial, challenging or offensive views – nor does it seek to stifle criticism or rigorous debate in any way, while the right to freedom of expression is built into the Act,” she said.

“It does however help to tackle the harm caused by hatred and prejudice.”

(This story has been corrected to fix the title of the Scottish National Party, in paragraph 2)

(Reporting by Muvija M; Editing by Peter Graff)