Harry Potter author JK Rowling and other critics of Scotland’s new hate crime laws must stop “selling misinformation”, Scotland’s First Minister has said.
Humza Yousaf strongly defended the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act against claims it would hamper freedom of expression after its introduction earlier this week.
JK Rowling criticized the Scottish Government’s hate laws as she posted photographs of 10 high-profile trans people and ridiculed their claims to be women.
Speaking at Glasgow’s Prestwick Airport on Saturday, Mr Yousaf said: “Some bad actors are deliberately spreading misinformation across Scotland – it’s no surprise the opposition is trying to do that.”
“What we have is a piece of legislation that in the law itself, explicitly in black and white, protects freedom of speech, freedom of expression.”
Humza Yousaf has staunchly defended the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act in the face of criticism
Harry Potter author JK Rowling attempted to defy laws with tweets referring to transgender women as “men”
The SNP leader continued: “At the same time, it makes sure to protect people from the hate that is sparked against them, and that’s really important when we have too many incidents of hate that may be due to their age, disability, sexuality or religion. ‘
“There is no place for that in Scotland and a very strong signal needs to be sent that the law will protect you.”
Rowling’s comments were reported to Police Scotland as alleged hate crimes.
Police determined he had committed no crime and also said they would not record a “non-criminal hate incident” against him.
She too He said that the majority of Scots were “upset and offended by Yousaf’s bumbling incompetence and illiberal authoritarianism”, following introducing the legislation on Monday.
Rowling wrote on
Asked what his message would be to critics like JK Rowling, the nationalist MSP said: “I would tell them to stop spreading misinformation.” It’s not going to help anyone.
“This is a law approved by all political parties in Scotland, except the Conservatives.”
On a visit to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, Yousaf said Rowling’s description was “ridiculous”.
Some of the posts made by JK Rowling on X/Twitter about transgender women, which police say did not meet the criminal threshold when assessed under Scotland’s new hate crime laws.
He said: “It’s a ridiculous suggestion.” Actually, JK Rowling’s tweets are a perfect example of how the law really works.
‘JK Rowling produced some tweets that were offensive, that were insulting – but of course the law doesn’t deal with offensive.
‘The law deals with new crimes, criminal behavior that must be threatening or abusive, attempts to incite hatred. That’s why she wasn’t arrested.
‘That’s not a surprise. Anyone who has read the bill will not be surprised that she was not arrested. The crime threshold is extremely high.
‘So anyone who suggests that the bill is simply about people feeling hurt, offended, insulted, I’m afraid the new offenses are not about that.
‘There are very explicit black and white protections for people’s freedom of speech and, indeed, freedom of expression.
“The bill strikes the right balance between protecting people from hate and protecting people’s fundamental freedoms.”
Yousaf also shared his views in an opinion piece in The Courier newspaper, urging politicians and public figures to create a debate based on “reality.”
He said false claims that the law makes it a crime to make “derogatory comments” based on characteristics covered by the law were “simply false.”
The First Minister wrote: ‘As a father of two girls and blessed with a baby on the way, I feel an even greater obligation to work as First Minister to help make Scotland even better for the next generation.
‘Critics of this law should not exaggerate its impact with false fears. Likewise, its advocates should not pretend that it can single-handedly eradicate hate and prejudice from our society.’
Yousaf was also reported to police for an alleged hate crime over a speech he made in the Scottish Parliament four years ago.
JK Rowling has previously battled with the SNP over its stance on transgender people, branding Humza Yousaf’s predecessor Nicola Sturgeon a “destroyer of women’s rights”.
The Harry Potter author wrote on X/Twitter: “Most of Scotland is upset and offended by Yousaf’s bumbling incompetence and illiberal authoritarianism.”
Like Rowling, police confirmed it was not a hate crime and said no “non-criminal hate incident” would be recorded in her name.
Adam Tomkins, a law professor and former Scottish Conservative MP who voted against the Hate Crimes Act, previously told STV News that ‘misgendering’ someone was not a crime under the law.
The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act consolidates existing hate crime legislation and creates a new offense of hate speech against protected characteristics.
Those characteristics are disability, religion, sexual orientation, age, transgender identity, and variations in sexual characteristics.