BBC: Scottish minister says 'fake' hate crime complaint submitted

The new legislation came into effect on Monday with a protest taking place outside the Scottish Parliament on the same day.

There have been a number of prominent critics of the bill, including Elon Musk, Joe Rogan and Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

Speaking to the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland, Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown said a “fake” complaint had been submitted in her name.

READ MORE: Why the Scottish Hate Crime Act ISN'T the same as the law in England

“I was actually surprised myself on Monday to receive a call from Police Scotland about my complaint, so obviously this was a fake complaint that someone had done anonymously in my name and gave my office number,” she explained.

“So I think this just shows the publicity and misinformation that’s out there about this act that people are making fake and vexatious complaints, I’m not saying all of them have been.”

Brown’s appearance on the show comes after Police Scotland said it would not take any further action after receiving complaints about a JK Rowling Twitter/X post.

The author had said on Easter Monday she was “looking forward to being arrested” over the Hate Crime Act.

Elsewhere, former footballer Ally McCoist had said he could “guarantee” he would breach the bill at this Sunday’s Rangers vs Celtic match, although has since confirmed he won’t be attending.

‘Fake complaints’

It was put to Brown that the Government was warned about the potential for fake complaints.

The minister replied to say there has been a “lot of misinformation and hysteria” surrounding the bill’s publication.

“This act has been brought in to protect communities who are vulnerable and to protect them from threatening and violent and inciting hatred towards them,” she said.

‘Non-crime hate incident’

The minister was asked if Rowling’s comments would be recorded as a “non-crime hate incident”.

This is the policy of recording “hate incidents” that do not meet the criminal threshold with Tory MSP Murdo Fraser last week threatening the police with legal action after he was logged for a complaint about a post in which he stated that “choosing to identify as ‘non-binary’ is as valid as choosing to identify as a cat”.

Brown said: “The recording of hate crimes or incidents has got nothing to do with the legislation that came in on Monday so I just want to make that very clear.”

She refused to be drawn on whether or not Rowling’s comments would be recorded as such but added Police Scotland is reviewing procedures on recording “hate crime incidents”.

Brown said she had faith that Police Scotland would “treat everybody the same” after she was asked about complaints made against Humza Yousaf (above).

It was reported that complaints were made in relation to a four-year-old speech made in parliament by Yousaf, although Police said they had previously established no crime had been committed.