Justice Secretary has responded to
publication by Police Scotland of data in relation to the Hate
Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, which commenced on 1
April 2024.
Ms Constance said:
“These latest statistics represent another sharp decrease in the
number of online hate crime reports made to Police Scotland since
1 April. Police Scotland received 390 online hate crime reports
which is a 79% decrease since the week before and a near 95%
decrease since the first week of operation of the new laws.
“As might have been anticipated given the elevated coverage at
the time of the Act's introduction on 1st April, the volume of
reports received by police has reduced significantly in the
second and third weeks. I am therefore pleased to see that the
effect of misinformation and misrepresentation of the Act peddled
over the last few weeks has subsided.
“Hate crime is behaviour which is both criminal and rooted in
prejudice; where the offender's actions have been driven by
hatred towards a particular group. Hatred for people just on the
basis of who they are. That is unacceptable.
“Police Scotland has been clear that demand continues to be
managed within its contact centres and the impact on frontline
policing has been minimal. I am grateful for their outstanding
dedication and professionalism as this law came into force, and
for all they do to keep communities safe.”
Background
Latest Police Scotland hate
crime statistics.
The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act was passed in the
Scottish Parliament by a majority in 2021 and was implemented on
1 April 2024. It introduces new offences for threatening or
abusive behaviour which is intended to stir up hatred against a
group of people who possess, or appear to possess,
characteristics including age, disability, religion, sexual
orientation, and transgender identity. These new offences have a
higher threshold for a crime to be committed than the
long-standing offence of stirring up racial hatred, which has
been in place since 1986. There are protections in the new Act
for individuals' rights in respect to freedom of expression for
the new stirring up hatred offences. Hate crime is behaviour that
is both criminal and rooted in prejudice and can be verbal,
physical, online or face-to-face. This Act is similar to
legislation in England and Wales which has criminalised stirring
up hatred on grounds of religion since 2007 and sexual
orientation in 2010.
