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Controversial hate crime Bill passes Holyrood
The Bill has raised concerns around freedom of expression (Jane Barlow/PA)
A controversial new hate crime law has been passed by MSPs.
The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill was backed by 82 votes to 32 with four abstentions, bringing to an end one of the most heated and contentious Bill processes in the 20 years of the Scottish Parliament.
More than 2,000 people responded to a call for views made last year after the publication of the Bill’s first iteration, and concerns over freedom of expression led to a number of changes to the legislation before it was passed on Thursday.
MSPs approve Scotland s controversial hate crime law bbc.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bbc.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Yousaf: Just stating beliefs will not be an offence under new hate crime laws
Updated: March 11, 2021, 3:11 pm
The Justice Secretary sought to allay fears over freedom of expression (Jane Barlow/PA)
Scotland’s Justice Secretary has sought to reassure opponents of new hate crime legislation that freedom of expression provisions are strong enough to prevent criminalisation.
The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill is set to pass the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, but opponents of the controversial legislation still have concerns about a possible chilling of free speech.
The new legislation creates a criminal offence of stirring up hatred against protected groups, expanding on a similar offence based on race that has been on the statute books for decades, as well as consolidating a number of different pieces of hate crime legislation.
Hate Crime Bill: MSPs set to back legislation in Holyrood vote thenational.scot - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thenational.scot Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.