New Scottish Hate Crime Law Could See People Prosecuted for Expressing Views in Own Homes
The new proposed legislation will introduce a “stirring-up of hate” offence on characteristics including disability, sexual orientation and age.
HOWEVER, critics fear the Hate Crime and Public Order Bill, which centres around plans for a new offence of “stirring up hatred”, will stifle freedom of expression.
BBC Scotland, Catholic bishops, the Humanist Society of Scotland, and the Scottish Police Federation are amongst those to have raised concerns, along with Mr Bean star Rowan Atkinson and writer Val McDermid.
Because of this, Scottish Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf was forced to amend the legislation and change the controversial “stirring up” offences section which has been condemned by opponents.
During today’s session, Glasgow Tory MSP and Committee Convenor Adam Tomkins questioned the Scottish Justice Secretary on how you can commit an offence of public order in private.
It comes after Mr Yousaf suggested during the committee session that he would be in favour of the stirring up offences applying inside home dwellings.
Mr Tomkins continued: “When we are considering the scope of the criminal law in this Parliament, we’ve got to be careful not to under criminalise and also guard against overcriminalisation and make sure we are not inadvertently rendering criminal that we think ought to be free to do.”
Liam Kerr MSP, Scottish Conservative Justice Spokesman, added: “The Hate Crime Bill was a mess when the SNP first brought it to parliament and it still contains serious issues that need to be fixed.
“Tinkering around the margins will not fix the most controversial bill in Scottish Parliament history.
“This latest admission from the justice secretary confirms what so many respondents to the consultation have warned — that as drafted, this Bill means free speech could be criminalised within the home with friends you’ve invited over for a dinner party, and that Mr Yousaf is perfectly comfortable with that.
“The SNP need to be clear with the Scottish public about exactly what they intend this Hate Crime Bill to do.
“They can’t keep trying to force through dangerous attacks on freedom of speech.”
At the same time, it emerged the Scottish Government failed to consult court officials on the controversial laws with the Scottish Tories claiming they were “left in the dark” until the last minute.
But Mr Yousaf defended the legislation rejecting claims the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) were not consulted.
He added: “The point of stirring up offences and the reason why I think we need these offences is their effect is or could be to motivate people who carry out acts of hatred, violence, assaults and so on against members of groups who belong to particular communities (interruption).
“What it does is if you’re stirring up religious hatred against Jews, with the intent of stirring up hatred in your private dwelling with your children in the room, with friends you’ve invited over for a dinner party if they then act upon that hatred and commit offences that would be prosecuted by the law, should the person who with the intent of stirring up hatred if their behaviour was threatening or abusive, should that person not be culpable? Should they not receive criminal sanction?”
The Justice Secretary stressed the Scottish Government is willing to look again at protections of free speech in the legislation.
Mr Yousaf said he would be open to expanding protections of freedom of speech to cover all of the protected characteristics in the Bill — as only statements made against people on the grounds of their religion or sexual orientation are currently covered.
He also said he would consider broadening protections to acts that express “antipathy, dislike, ridicule or insults”.
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Source: Daily Archives
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Why don’t people like this crawl back to the hell holes they originate from? Criminalizing speech is emotional blackmail. I hope the people in Scotland kick this clown to the curb.
Karen, it may be due to Whites failing to organize, build our own influential institutions, and then kick this and other “clowns” where they belong.
We’re fortunate to have Whites here who are serious about doing just in the National Alliance.
The UK is most likely to consider lost by now and believe me when i say that people like that one in the article won´t be kicked in any way.
So things will be much worse in the UK, much worse. It´s just a matter of time.
Greetings Karen. I hope you mean a curb in Israel. He can go there to complain to Bibi that Israel is too Jewish.
“Freedom!”
Seriously. I can practically hear William Wallace retching in his grave at what a bunch of cowards his fellow Scotsman have become. And as an American of Scottish descent, I find it laughable that this raghead Yousaf is the Scottish Justice Secretary. Yeah, because he looks like such an accurate representation of my people. Lol. Let me know when your balls drop, Scotland “males”.
Notice too how it starts off being about curbing “hate crimes” in general, but Yousaf, as the lackeys always do, lets it slip who he’s really concerned with protecting when he says, “What it does is if you’re stirring up religious hatred against Jews, with the intent of stirring up hatred in your private dwelling with your children in the room…”
Connery probably kicked because he was disgusted at the way his pansy Scottish brethren keep bringing knives to gunfights.
What?!! As A person who is part Scottish I am astonished that Scotland does not recognise its Middle Eastern Jewish heritage which never existed. Is Humza Yousaf, Jewish?
.and furthermore, I regard Mr. Yousaf’s statement that “Scotland is too [W]hite” to be an example of hate-speech. We all know the consequence if we travel to his home country and then complain, whilst within our own dwelling, that his country is too Muslim.
If someone were to offer me ten million dollars for a job in Japan in which I had to work on a message that Japan is too Japanese… I don’t think I could get the words to come out’ve my mouth. This man is unworthy of drawing oxygen.
“The White man made me do it!” has replaced, “De debil made me do it!”
This goes right along with them blaming the woman for making them rape her–“She wasn’t wearing a veil!” “She showed her bare midriff!”
LEAVE my country, insolent p@ki!