In Scotland, a significant controversy has unfolded around the country's new hate crime legislation, drawing criticism from various quarters including J.K. Rowling and Judy Murray. Rowling, in a 709-word social media post, warned against 'dismantling' women's rights to 'accommodate trans-identified men' amid row over Scotland's hate crime laws. The law, defended by First Minister Humza Yousaf, has been accused of stifling free speech and enabling selective enforcement, as highlighted by an incident where Police Scotland refused to investigate an antisemitic image posted by a relative of an SNP politician because the complainant was not Jewish, despite receiving 8,000 complaints. This incident involved a swastika merged with the Star of David, which was condemned by Tom Arthur, Scotland's public finance minister, and related to the poster. Critics, including English lawyer Preston Byrne, have labeled the enforcement of the law as inconsistent with legal standards applied elsewhere in the UK. Amidst this backdrop, Rowling has been vocal against what she perceives as threats to women's rights and free speech, leading to accusations from SNP that she is provoking hate law violations. The situation has sparked a broader debate on cancel culture, state censorship, and the implications of hate crime legislation on free expression in Scotland.
Scottish First Minister Declares Anyone Who Reported His 'Anti-White' Speech To Police Is "Far Right" https://t.co/IuLcXrGhzd
THE @EZRALEVANT SHOW Thousands of hate speech complaints filed in Scotland after passing of draconian censorship bill GUEST: Scottish member of Parliament Neale Hanvey (@JNHanvey) https://t.co/40o6zMTAoD
Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf reacts to the information that the police have received hundreds of complaints against him in the first days after his draconic hate speech law came into force He says that all the critics of the law are racist 🏴 https://t.co/29oX2Gzvca
J.K. Rowling DECIMATES Trans-Movement in Just ONE Post By Making Example of Authoritarian Trans Troll https://t.co/5KjJak66Jb
"JK Rowling is wasting police time with hate law ‘provocations’, suggests SNP "People ‘testing boundaries of legislation’ are in fact attacking Scottish values, says Holyrood’s equalities committee convener" https://t.co/1zJN7ENPIH
🔴 JK Rowling is wasting police time with hate law ‘provocations’, suggests SNP https://t.co/3v9b4dVqQY
Scottish FM @HumzaYousaf smeared anyone who reported his racist tirade in Holyrood 3 years ago as "far-right". So the so-called far-right is reporting racism? That's ironical. Mr Yousaf you are yesterday's man, today. https://t.co/6Rb8EEsKL4
J.K. Rowling has expressed her readiness to face incarceration over her stand on transgender issues @twthigherground https://t.co/lGFBNULPpA
Scotland's public finance minister Tom Arthur has condemned a social media post made by his father which depicted the Star of David linked with a swastika https://t.co/D4HmjcpPpD
THIS is who they really are. J.K. Rowling DECIMATES Trans-Movement in Just ONE Post By Making Example of Authoritarian Trans Troll https://t.co/MxlT0hoXl5
Scottish minister condemns father's 'offensive' swastika post https://t.co/XZ0PYVLFEN
It's absolutely uncanny how similar the attacks on Rowling are to the narrative in "A Man for All Seasons." Rowling is refusing to go along with the crowd & her moral objections are air-tight. Check out this scene from the movie to see what I mean: https://t.co/0EDCL1vTgO https://t.co/oEKipCdWDS
JK Rowling going full William Wallace in defense of free speech is the vibe Scotland needs right now https://t.co/fZflDrU4RT
In the latest episode of 'That's Debatable', Thomas Harris and Ben Jones discuss Scotland's Hate Crime Act, the @speechunion's Hate Speech Hotline and Tom's recently published report on EDI and the cost it's imposing on British companies. https://t.co/csP8OERh5G
J.K. Rowling OBLITERATED a troll who suggested she should show more support for transgender people......because she wrote "Harry Potter." Next level delusion from the woke outrage mob. CHECK IT OUT: https://t.co/E7kfE3HKxO https://t.co/scSsybY7kg
A Scottish minister has condemned social media posts made by his father which depicted the Star of David linked with a Swastika. The post was made on April 1, the same day Scotland's new hate crime legislation came into effect.
Kevin O’Sullivan likens Scotland’s new hate crime laws to “Maoist China” after an SNP member reported his own father’s antisemitic post to the police. “I don’t know what road Humza Yousaf thinks he’s taking Scotland down, but it’s a very bleak one.” @TVKev | @ThatAlexWoman https://t.co/ZJAv3xhyU6
JK Rowling should be applauded for taking a stand against gender ideology and state censorship. But she can afford to. We cannot have a situation where only the fabulously wealthy can express dissenting opinions, says Patrick West https://t.co/fTnEZlM3QH
SNP minister condemns his own father for swastika image comparing Israel to Nazis https://t.co/725Ly2UNlh
VIP » Scotland’s First Minister Says the 'Far-Right' Is Accusing Him of Hate Speech https://t.co/TZftRwZ4rC
SNP minister condemns his own father over an anti-Semitic post of a Swastika merged with the Star of David as police U-turn over an investigation into the image https://t.co/65bTYTUiMf https://t.co/CZhHzMIX4x
The Tide Is Turning: Rowling Showed Women How to Fight Back Against Trans Bullying and WIN in Scotland https://t.co/g1fbnC5ZxK
Weasel @HumzaYousaf is asked by @stephensackur of @BBCHARDtalk about the deluge of complaints about his racist "white" speech. "The description of those who referenced that speech as hatred, I've not seen anybody who has described it in that way who isn't part of the far-right". https://t.co/aPVgCwCV0D
Humza Yousaf’s defence of his own hate crime bill is so inconsistent that even the BBC are easily highlighting its flaws. According to Humza, anyone who reported his own racist speech is part of the “far right”. https://t.co/6plxWNWIsN
Cancel culture breeds cowardice. The threat of losing one’s reputation, job or worse has driven many of us to self-censorship. This is no way to live in a supposedly free society. Time to be braver, says Patrick West https://t.co/fTnEZlM3QH
In my opinion, as an English lawyer, displaying this sign publicly is a crime on either side of the border (Norwood v DPP a sign saying “Islam out of Britain” = conviction). This is a hate crime, but it isn’t being enforced against because its viewpoint aligns with SNP policy. https://t.co/sjWAMVFsjf
Amy Hamm: J.K. Rowling neutered Scotland's hate speech law using only her words https://t.co/t6EIqXwpGd https://t.co/FtsUlkBWQb
So let me get this straight, @PoliceScotland - you're telling us that it's totally cool to spread hate and antisemitism as long as you're not Jewish? https://t.co/JCPExtdfWe
A retired policewoman complained to @PoliceScotland about an image posted by a relative of an SNP politician on Facebook, which equated Naziism with Zionism. They'll not be continuing with the investigation because she isn't Jewish. So far 8,000 complaints have been received… https://t.co/Y7K4L4W2Xs
Judy Murray backs JK Rowling after author warned against 'dismantling' women's rights to 'accommodate trans-identified men' in 709-word social media post amid row over Scotland's hate crime laws https://t.co/xsyL0tba1C https://t.co/4bCcXJMCJk
After a woman reported this antisemitic symbol to Police Scotland under the Hate Act she was told no action would be taken because she’s not Jewish! The disgusting person who posted the swastika is reported to be a relative of an SNP minister. Well? @PoliceScotland https://t.co/SWhPtgobv1