JK Rowling hate law posts not criminal, police say

[Phoenix Fields 2,714]

Social media comments made by JK Rowling challenging Scotland's new hate crime law are not being treated as criminal, Police Scotland has said.

The Harry Potter author described several transgender women as men, including convicted prisoners, trans activists and other public figures.

The new law creates a new crime of "stirring up hatred" relating to protected characteristics.

The force said complaints had been received but no action would be taken.

Reacting to the news, Ms Rowling posted on X: "I hope every woman in Scotland who wishes to speak up for the reality and importance of biological sex will be reassured by this announcement, and I trust that all women - irrespective of profile or financial means - will be treated equally under the law.

"If they go after any woman for simply calling a man a man, I'll repeat that woman's words and they can charge us both at once."

The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 makes it a criminal offence to make derogatory comments based on disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity or being intersex.

Stirring up hatred based on race, colour, nationality or ethnicity was already illegal in Great Britain under the Public Order Act 1986 but is now included in the new law.

Since the law came into effect on Monday Police Scotland has received more than 3,000 complaints.

 

Source

[Ladle Ghoulash 52,614]

Huh, it’s almost as if, like I indicated on the last thread, the law is intended to be applied to individuals seeking to organize targeted hate campaigns via threats of harm or some other form of intimidation 🤔

DISCLAIMER: not directed at @Westerosi

[Versace 8,074]

What even is “stiring up hatred” though? Everything JK says is on X, and that platform is full of hate regardless what the topic is. So are these laws for in person or online conduct? 

[Ayesha Erotica 1,924]

this is a Scottish law, does it affect people in England, while they are in England, or only when they go from England to Scotland?

[alsemanche 97,796]

She's so full of shit

[Ladle Ghoulash 52,614]

34 minutes ago, Versace said:

What even is “stiring up hatred” though? Everything JK says is on X, and that platform is full of hate regardless what the topic is. So are these laws for in person or online conduct? 

Here’s the Scottish government’s synopsis of “stirring up hatred”: https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/factsheet/2020/04/hate-crime-bill-what-it-will-do/documents/hate-crime-bill-stirring-up-hatred-offences/hate-crime-bill-stirring-up-hatred-offences/govscot%3Adocument/Hate%2BCrime%2BBill%2B-%2BInformation%2BNote%2BPdf%2B-%2BStirring%2BUp%2BHatred%2BOffences%2B-%2BRevised%2BAugust%2B2020.pdf

[Natalia Kills 413]

2 hours ago, Okinawa said:

this is a Scottish law, does it affect people in England, while they are in England, or only when they go from England to Scotland?

It doesn't affect anyone outside Scotland. JK is a resident of Scotland most of the time though.

 

[Natalia Kills 413]

This law is realistically a difficult-to-interpret political point scorer and the SNP would do well do move away from this type of politics if they want to get through the election in one piece, at least for the time being. The Tories are lapping this up to by opposing it.

I think most people are fatigued by identity politics at this point. It was all fine during COVID when most people were stuck at home, but the economic fallout and its repercussions on most people's living standards are much more problematic.

Ironically, this is just causing more racism and transphobia because people are disillusioned by their governments who are spending taxpayer money on this rather than health/home/job initiatives. 

[PartySick 172,477]

What a horrid woman lmao