Number of hate crime complaints drops by 75 per cent in week two of new law

Police Scotland said 1,832 reports were received last week
Alistair Grant
By Alistair Grant
Published 16th Apr 2024, 12:34 BST
Updated 16th Apr 2024, 14:01 BST

The number of hate crime complaints dropped by almost 75 per cent in the second week of a controversial new law coming into force, it has been revealed.

Police Scotland said it received 1,832 online hate reports between April 8 and 14, down from 7,152 the previous week. The vast majority were anonymous and no action was taken. However, 213 hate crimes were recorded, down from 232 the previous week.

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This brings the total number of hate crimes recorded to 445 – substantially more than over the same period in previous years. Elsewhere, police recorded 25 non-crime hate incidents, five fewer than during the week before.

Police were inundated with hate crime complaints in the first week of the new legislationPolice were inundated with hate crime complaints in the first week of the new legislation
Police were inundated with hate crime complaints in the first week of the new legislation

It comes amid continued controversy over the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act, with MSPs set to vote on a Tory motion to repeal the legislation this week.

This will almost certainly fail due to the SNP-Green majority in Holyrood. However, the Tories are appealing for other opposition parties and “more sensible nationalists” to back their position.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We have seen a significant reduction in the number of online hate reports and these continue to be managed within our contact centres with minimal impact on frontline policing.

“All complaints received are reviewed by officers, supported by dedicated hate crime advisers, and dealt with appropriately, whether that is being progressed for further assessment, or closed as they do not meet the criteria under the legislation.”