The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 comes into effect on 1st April 2024.
From the UK Legislation web site:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2021/14/section/1
The characteristics for reporting a hate crime are—
(a) age,
(b) disability,
(c) race, colour, nationality (including citizenship), or ethnic or national origins,
(d) religion or, in the case of a social or cultural group, perceived religious affiliation,
(e) sexual orientation,
(f) transgender identity,
(g) variations in sex characteristics.
It is immaterial whether or not the offender's malice and ill-will is also based (to any extent) on any other factor. Evidence from a single source is sufficient to prove that an offence is aggravated by prejudice.
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So basically anybody in Scotland can report an offence under the act.
An offence can be committed verbally (even within a family) or written (on a forum, social media etc.)
When reporting an offence you can do so anonymously, and even on behalf of a third party!
You probably think “What’s the big deal. I don’t live in Scotland,” Well you don’t have to as long as anybody who is in Scotland can read it and is offended under any of the protected characteristics.
You might also think “Pfff it’s just a minor nothing”. Well the whole point is that anybody in Scotland who takes offence can simply report you wherever you live in the UK. The police can then arrest you and confiscate ALL your IT equipment as evidence. Even if you are not charged, it can take months to get you kit back. And it can cost a fortune to hire lawyers. The person making the complaint has to bear no cost whatsoever.
There are good reasons to believe that some individuals will be targeted by this legislation even if nothing comes of any complaint. It’s simply “The process is the punishment”.
Welcome to the SNP’s Kafkaesque Scotland.
For the record, I live in Scotland and support independence but not the SNP.