Achi news desk-
The legislation came into effect on April 1, triggering an initial deluge of reports. During that first week the police received 7,152 complaints. However, there was a “significant decrease” in the second, with 1,832 reports received between April 8 and April 14, down 75%.
Of those, 213 hate crimes were recorded, down from 240.
READ MORE: Hate crimes in Scotland fall in the second week of the new laws
The debate was at times bad-tempered and personal.
SNP MP Christine Grahame described Tory frontbencher Russell Findlay as “self-indulgent, flamboyant and often reckless” with an “insatiable appetite for the next tabloid banner headline.”
“That may offend Mr Findlay but I trust that he will appreciate that it is an example of my right to express freedom of speech, which I know he will defend to the hilt,” he added.
The SNP’s Christine Grahame is exercising her right to free speech in the Holyrood Hate Crime debate by having a proper pop at Tory MP Russell Findlay. pic.twitter.com/LMsD1vU6fz
— Andrew Learmonth (@andrewearmonth) April 17, 2024
The Tory Shadow Justice Secretary later said he was “absolutely heartened” by the MSP’s “vicious attack” on him.
Elsewhere, SNP deputy leader Keith Brown called for calm. He told ASA that he had received six death threats. He said his office manager was in court on Tuesday “trying to bring a case against someone who wanted to kill me.”
“The abuse is constant. We all know it happens. But let’s accept some responsibility when we feed the atmosphere because it has consequences in real terms.”
Opening the debate, Mr Findlay said the legislation had “transformed Scotland into a place of international ridicule” and had “transformed the birthplace of the Enlightenment into a place where freedom of speech has been undermined and devalued.”
He added: “A place of sinister police notice boards instructing people to snitch on those who hurt their feelings, where contentious discussions and disagreements in your own home can lead to a knock on the door from the police.
“Every complaint, no matter how baseless or absurd, is investigated by the police, while disappearing officers are told not to pursue real crimes. Welcome to Scotland, home of Humza Yousaf’s hate crime law, the clypes charter.”
He said that while prosecutions may be unlikely, an investigation would be “scary, disruptive, humiliating and financially costly” to those reported.
“Police arriving at your home or workplace in handcuffs, phone confiscated, forced to pay for a lawyer, stigmatizing and damaging personal reputation and employment prospects.”
He said the call to repeal was “about freedom of speech.”
READ MORE: The Justice Minister admits that information about Hate Crimes could have been better
Victims and Community Minister Siobhian Brown said the Scottish Government had no intention of scrapping the legislation leaving Scotland “as the only country in the UK without specific legislation to protect communities from hate crime.”
“We know the impact on victims of hate crime can be traumatic and life-changing, and we want to make sure we can protect those affected but the Conservatives we have in this parliament are removing those protections,” he told MSPs.
“This Act does not prevent people from expressing controversial, challenging or offensive views, as this has been clearly demonstrated, nor does it seek to stifle criticism or vigorous debate in any way,” Ms Brown added.
He said the Tories wanted the Bill to fail because they needed to “justify why they didn’t support it in 2021”.
“So they will do everything they can to discredit him, however, but my message to you is that it will not work. Legislation protecting people from hate is not new. It is still needed and the misinformation that has surrounded this Act has been irresponsible.”
Labour’s justice spokeswoman Pauline McNeill said the gender had been left out because the Scottish Government had promised to introduce an independent Atheism Bill.
“Three years later, there is still no sign of the promised legislation within a year of passing the 2021 Act,” he said.
“So we are calling on the Scottish Government to reconsider and bring gender as an aggravator now.”
Ms McNeill also urged Parliament to conduct “urgent” post-legislative scrutiny to look at how the Act was implemented.
He said it had been “shams feet.”
