JK Rowling vows to defy Scotland’s ‘ludicrous’ new hate crime laws and refuses to delete posts calling trans TV presenter ‘just a man’

JK Rowling has branded Scotland’s new hate crime laws “ridiculous” as she pledged not to remove social media posts describing a transgender TV presenter as “just a man”.

The Harry Potter author was cleared of any wrongdoing by English police earlier this month following an online article on TV channel India Willoughby, which complained of being “misgendered”.

But Ms Rowling is now the target of campaigners who claim she could be prosecuted under the controversial new Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act, which is due to be introduced on April 1.

The 58-year-old wrote on X that she would not delete any of his posts about Ms Willoughby.

She said: “If you really imagine that I would delete posts calling a man a man, so as not to be prosecuted under this ridiculous law, wait for the mother of all April Fool’s jokes.”

The author was cleared of any wrongdoing by police in England following an online post on TV channel India Willoughby (pictured), which complained of being “misgendered”.

Ms Rowling targeted by campaigners who claim she could be prosecuted under controversial new Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act (Pictured: Scottish Parliament building in Holyrood)

Ms Rowling was responding to a post from a user claiming to be a British lawyer who wrote: “Delete posts about India Willoughby as they most likely contravene the new law.” Start deleting! »

Ms Rowling’s supporters praised her for “standing up against the woke mob”.

And feminist group For Women Scotland wrote: “I’m not sure anyone claiming to be a lawyer should be publishing misleading information. »

Police Scotland said only incidents that occurred after April 1 would be investigated under the new law, meaning Ms Rowling would not be subject to retrospective action.