An MSP (Murdo Fraser) threatening legal action against Police Scotland after his twitter/x post was logged as a hate incident

[StealthSpinach]

I couldn’t see another thread on this - just wondering if a male complaining about ‘hate incidents’ registered against him will produce a different result compared with all the female complaints that have been dismissed.

An MSP is threatening to take legal action against Police Scotland after a tweet he posted criticising the Scottish Government’s transgender policy was logged as a ‘hate incident’.
Veteran Conservative Murdo Fraser said the force had ‘behaved not just outrageously, but unlawfully’ after learning that his name appears in police files for expressing a political view.
A trans activist reported the post on X, formerly Twitter, to Police Scotland whose officers decided it did not amount to a crime but should be classed as a ‘hate incident’ which will remain on record – even though no law had been broken.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13233691/Scots-Torys-police-row-hate-tweet-claim.html

UltraLiteLife · Today 19:02

I'll bow to your superior knowledge,it's a while since I've been that way.

Rose Street is fine. It's Scott Street that's like climbing the north face of the Eiger.

https://order-order.com/2024/03/27/police-delete-tory-mps-non-crime-hate-incident-record/

'Tory MP and Deputy Party Chairman Rachel Maclean had a “non-crime hate incident” (NCHI) added to her record by local police for tweeting that the Greens “don’t know what a woman is” in December. A comment that no doubt came after seeing the Green candidate…

The Free Speech Union, which is also working north of the border on Tory MSP Murdo Fraser’s case, took on Maclean’s. They have now succeeded in, following an apology from the police, getting the “incident” deleted altogether by establishing that what Maclean said does not represent a “real risk of significant harm to individuals or groups with a particular characteristic and/or a real risk that a future criminal offence may be committed against” them. This is clearly set out in the new statutory guidance…
A response, sent yesterday from West Mercia Police Deputy Chief Constable Richard Cooper, establishes the mistake has been rectified:
“Having sought the advice from the Legal Department and Force Crime and Incident Registrar, it has been determined that the incident did not meet the definition of an ‘incident’ as defined by the National Standard for Incident Recording.

As a result, the ‘hate incident’ and indeed the personal details have now been removed from the West Mercia Police systems.“'

I’ll not bother with my request then

Not if you have enough Tunnocks Tea Cakes to distract Boiled... Possibly.

Did someone mention Tunnocks?

I presume you’re heading to near Glasgow?

I go where the food makes me! I plan to get in a little haggis hunting whilst I'm there as well. Might as well surround myself with foods I do like in order to cope with the lemon drizzle cake references that I will be forced to endure reading whilst there so that I can report you all for hate crimes.

(I found myself in the cake aisle of the local supermarket the other day. There was so much lemon drizzle cake putting me off that I left with no cake at all.)

ArabellaScott · Yesterday 16:07

Well, that could be reason for optimism, but I wonder how it'll work for ordinary people? Powerful people do tend to get fairer treatment.

Powerful people making a fuss in the media? Quickly sorted out, no scandal to see here…now how about the rest of us with “incidents” that aren’t really “incidents”?

Tory MP and Deputy Party Chairman Rachel Maclean had a “non-crime hate incident” (NCHI) added to her record by local police for tweeting that the Greens “don’t know what a woman is” in December. A comment that no doubt came after seeing the Green candidate…

In that case, did the Green Party lodge the complaint, which would be worryingly authoritarian for a party committed to ecological justice.

Or did the police take it upon themselves to charge her? Come to think of it, could the police decide a tweet etc constitutes a non crime hate incident or does it always have to be at the instigation of someone else lodging the complaint?

Anyone ever see Mark Thomas "Serious Organised Criminal" when it played ?

This is very reminiscent.

I still have a DVD somewhere... and yes, it is very reminiscent. Less fun than walking about with placards for an infinite number of individual demos but same basic idea....

The point is a ridiculous law was bullied into extinction. Well, until the Tories opened the coffin and removed the stake.

What law are you referring to?

"laws", really. The creeping restriction of protest and demonstration.

What do you think of the new hate crime bill in Scotland?

I think it would be a good idea.

Oh no, sorry, that's Scottish civilisation ...

Yeh not following that one

Channelling my inner Gandhi ...

Humza Yousaf discussed this in FMQ today.

He says PS are going to review how they record NHCI, in light of the changes made in England. So taht's possibly progress.

Hopefully this clip is at the right place, it's the first question.

https://www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/first-ministers-questions-march-28-2024?clip_start=12:00:17&clip_end=12:13:08

Thanks for this - watching it now

Thanks for the link @ArabellaScott I've just watched it.

Reasonable questions from Douglas Ross, yet Humza Yousaf not addressing the issue of the legislation being used maliciously. Instead yadda yadda including his claims that the legislation will cover ALL protected characteristics. Untrue, at present, as far as I can see.

Interesting to hear from Douglas Ross that the Scottish Police Federation, and the Superintendents representative body, are flagging up the potential for malicious complaints within the legislation. Along with others.

So whilst the Chief Con may well be captured, it appears that there is a lot of disquiet amongst the police ranks, right up to senior officer level.

I watched Trainspotting last night, and wondered how films like this will survive April 1st? The infamous Begbie 'I'm no a buftie' scene, for example, has the potential to 'offend' many. Could the TV Channel that broadcast it be reported by someone who views it in Scotland?

In fact, could a person be reported for the act of watching it on their TV? 'Ma Cousin AutumnCrow watched Trainspottin' last night ...'

Agree Douglas Ross was very effective in that clip.

Why are you perplexed, it was not deemed to be a hate crime.