Humza Yousaf says JK Rowling's tweets are a 'perfect example'

[ArabellaScott]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-68725547

Wasn't sure which thread to put this on, so ...

'Humza Yousaf said he was "not surprised" police had assessed JK Rowling's online posts challenging the new hate crime law to be non-criminal.
The Harry Potter author described several transgender women as men, including convicted prisoners, trans activists and other public figures.
The legislation creates a crime of "stirring up hatred" relating to protected characteristics.
But Police Scotland said no action would be taken against Ms Rowling.
The first minister said the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 "protects the most vulnerable and marginalised in our in society" while also safeguarding "freedom of expression and freedom of speech".

Mr Yousaf told BBC Scotland News: "Those new offenses that have been created by the act have a very high threshold for criminality.
"The behaviour has to be threatening or abusive and intends to stir up hatred.
"So it doesn't deal with people just being offended or upset or insulted."
He said Ms Rowling's posts on X were a "perfect example of that".
The first minister added: "Anybody who read the act will not have been surprised at all that there's no arrests made.
"JK Rowling's tweets may well be offensive, upsetting and insulting to trans people.
"But it doesn't mean that they meet a threshold of criminality of being threatening or abusive and intending to stir up hatred."
Mr Yousaf said it was up to Police Scotland to decide how to deal with hate incidents.'

I think that LWS Edinburgh will be quite fraught, and I hope the Police take a firm line and keep the protesters at a distance.

I remember a few years ago now, Farage almost getting mobbed and having to get out of the World's End pub with the help of the Labdicks (local police, cf Trainspotting)

At the time I thought it was hilarious and served him right (can't stand the man, never could), but that situation was ugly and could have gotten really ugly, if the police hadn't intervened.

Hopefully LWS will be more like George Square in Glasgow than that.

Ooh yes let’s see them apply a completely different standard to KJK. Actually KJK is likely to start going on about AGPs and fetishists so she’ll probably up the ante considerably.

Yeah KJK is a wild card, she won't be mincing her words that's for sure.

Thank you Nauticant

I'm heartbroken that I was beaten to the punch, but delighted that I was right!

Hurrah for MEeeeEEEEEeeeee!

😄

In all seriousness, that looks a really interesting study, as do the other related ones.

I have often wished I had chosen anthropology - and the older I get the more I wish I had. Might give some insight into the insanity we're living through at the moment.

I found some of the sectarian songs really alarming with the depictions of violence and hatred. Far worse than 'misgendering'.

I'd just stay at home on Old Firm days in the past..Gangs of drunk yobs roaming the streets looking for a fight ... football fans jumping up and down to make the Tube bounce. Horrible.

The disclosed to the whole office that Neil has been reported.

Is this not a fundemental GDPR violation?

The Scotgov have set themselves up for people to test the new Act, haven't they? People are going to keep pushing.

The SNP are everyday making the case for preserving the Union by being about as much use as a biscuit-ersed wean. I'm really no impressed.

My husband (Scottish) has been reading the paper this morning and has been in to see me while laughing about this law. He’s a sex realist too, but his perspective on the law is one of a man who grew up in the West of Scotland and goes to a lot of football matches. The Old Firm match this weekend was mentioned, and he vaguely recalls there being previous court cases where it was discussed whether “Hun” and “Fenian” were criminally racist or not, and was musing on how many police reports there will be because people listening to the match in the radio heard “offensive” chants from the fans.

On the subject of football chants, we’re season ticket holders at our local club and I do enjoy a good bit of fan chanting banter between the home and away support. The best is with clubs where you don’t have any particular history or animosity with the supporters but a good opportunity for a bit of piss-taking. Perhaps because it’s rumoured their manager is about to be sacked or one of the players has crashed a car or something similarly daft. But lots of songs are recycled and once you know them it’s very amusing to then watch FA Cup matches on the BBC in the afternoon and hear lots of sweary singing going on that the commentators politely ignore.

And Neil said it was for an undisclosed tweet. Does that mean they wouldn't even tell him what he was being reported for?

How very Kafkaesque. 🤔

Rapists in prison are a third gender remember? Nicola said so.

I’m no fan of Old Firm sectarianism but there is definitely something in what you’re saying here, as in this comment about the ornate nature of British football chants

😂

Spot on!

Can I just point out that the American national anthem has some spectacularly eyebrow raising lyrics. It's like a song about war and death.
Some choice bits....

And the Rockets' red glare, the Bombs bursting in air,

Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave,
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave,

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

This whole clusterfuck has ensured the era of "No debate" is well and truly over.

People are discussing. People are openly mocking. People are laughing.
Something like this would have been unthinkable last year.

Crikey. That is dark.

I can appreciate the points about football chants, but I still find them menacing. However, I am a very delicate flower and easily shaken. 😊

(I still don't think they should be banned, fwiw)

I just find them LOUD Arrabella

I hate noise.

I got pulled up on my language one time years ago, for referring to the Teddy Berrs as Currant Buns. I am from The Kingdom and wasn't aware that H£n is seen as hate speech. It's just football bants everywhere else, except in Glasgow (and the try-hard towns nearby)

At an international gathering in Europe many years back, one night ended with everyone taking turns to proudly sing their national anthem, with a tear in their eye.

Me and my pal did 'Here comes the Highland Granny'. 😆

It's made me think of this very stirring version of a Scottish classic.

(Shirley Manson coming in at the end with an expression like a skelped aerse, there. Nae wunner).

Well, you didn't have an official anthem then.

Which in the 70s, at Scotland vs Wales rugby internationals, led to the both sets of spectators full-throatedly booing "God Save The Queen" when it was played before kick-off.

Who was that very popular singer - Andy someone who used to be on the telly every New Year with this in his repetoire.

Was it Andy Stewart? (God I'm showing my age now!)

Highland Granny will always be my anthem. 😊

Isn't this just an example of 'sex offenders aren't REAL trans women'?