A controversial hate crime law in Scotland has been passed. The legislation had attracted a wide coalition in opposition to it, including evangelicals.
During the debate at Holyrood, Humza Yousaf, Cabinet Secretary for Justice, accepted one amendment from the Tory MSP Adam Tomkins which restated rights under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which emphasises the right ‘to offend, shock or disturb’, in relation to a reasonableness defence.
The law creates a new offence of ‘stirring up hatred’ on the grounds of religion, sexual orientation, age, disability or transgender identity.
