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 it was introduced earlier this week.
JK Rowling criticized the Scottish Government’s hate laws as she posted photos of ten high-profile transgender people and ridiculed their claims to be women.
Speaking at Glasgow’s Prestwick Airport on Saturday, Mr Yousaf said: ‘There is deliberate misinformation being spread by a number of bad actors across Scotland – it is not surprising that 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 expression, freedom of expression.’
Humza Yousaf has strongly defended the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act against criticism
Harry Potter author JK Rowling tried to challenge the laws with tweets calling transgender women “men.”
The SNP leader continued: ‘At the same time it ensures that it protects people from hatred being fomented against them, and that is very important when there are far too many incidents of hate which could be due to their age, disability. , sexuality or religion.’
‘There is no place for that in Scotland, and you need to send a very strong message that the law will protect you.’
Rowling’s comments were reported to Police Scotland as alleged hate crimes.
Police determined she had not committed a crime and also said there would be no “non-crime hate incident” against her.
She also said most Scots were ‘appalled and offended by Yousaf’s bumbling incompetence and illiberal authoritarianism’. 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 won’t help anyone.
“This is a piece of legislation that has been passed by every political party in Scotland, minus the Conservatives.”
During a visit to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, Mr Yousaf said Rowling’s description was ‘ridiculous’.
Some posts from JK Rowling on X/Twitter about transgender women, who police say did not meet the criminal threshold when assessed under Scotland’s new hate crime laws
He said: ‘It’s a ridiculous suggestion. In fact, JK Rowling’s tweets are a perfect example of how the law actually works.
‘JK Rowling produced a number of tweets that were offensive, that were offensive – but of course the law doesn’t cover offensive.
‘The law deals with new offences, criminal behavior that must be threatening or insulting, with the intention of inciting hatred. That’s why she wasn’t arrested.
‘That’s no surprise. Anyone who has actually read the bill will not be surprised that she was not arrested. The threshold for crime is extremely high.
“So anyone who is suggesting that the bill is just about people being hurt, offended or insulted, I’m afraid that is not what the new offenses are aimed at.
“There are very explicit black and white protections for people’s freedom of expression and even freedom of speech.
“The bill strikes the right balance between protecting people from hate and protecting people’s fundamental freedoms.”
Mr Yousaf also shared his views in an opinion article in The Courier newspaper, urging politicians and public figures to create a debate rooted in ‘reality’.
He said false claims that the law makes “derogatory comments” based on the features covered by the law are “simply untrue.”
The First Minister wrote: ‘As a father of two girls, and blessed with a baby on the way, I feel an even greater obligation as First Minister to work to make Scotland even better for the next generation.
“Critics of this law should not exaggerate its impact with false fear. Its proponents should also not pretend that it in itself can eradicate hatred and prejudice from our society.’
Yousaf was also reported to police for an alleged hate crime following a speech he made in the Scottish Parliament four years ago.
JK Rowling has previously gone to war with the SNP over its stance on transgender people, with Humza Yousaf’s predecessor Nicola Sturgeon branded a ‘destroyer of women’s rights’
The Harry Potter author wrote on X/Twitter: “Most of Scotland is angry and offended by Yousaf’s bumbling incompetence and illiberal authoritarianism.”
Like Rowling, police confirmed it was not a hate crime and said no ‘non-crime hate incident’ would be reported against his name.
Adam Tomkins, a law professor and former Scottish Tory MSP who voted against the Hate Crime Act, previously told STV News that ‘misgendering’ someone is 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 inciting hatred against protected characteristics.
These characteristics include disability, religion, sexual orientation, age, transgender identity and variations in gender characteristics.