Police Scotland records another ‘sharp decrease’ in online hate reports

It received 390 online hate crime reports, a 79 per cent decrease since the week before and down significantly from the first week high of more than 7,000 reports.

Of these 390 online reports, 356 were reported anonymously.

An additional 23 reports were made via telephone and Contact Us.

There were 26 non-crime hate incidents recorded in week three – the same number as was recorded in the same week last year, prior to the new legislation being introduced this month.

Police Scotland’s third weekly summary on hate crime and incident reporting also shows the number of reports meeting the threshold for recording as a hate crime has continued to fall: 232 in week one; 200 in week two; and 193 in week three.

The major crime aggravator remains race, followed by sexual orientation and disability. This pattern is the same as hate crime reporting in previous years.

Geographical analysis of hate crimes recorded in the first three weeks shows the highest levels of crimes recorded in the large population centres of Greater Glasgow and Edinburgh.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Police Authority said: “The third week of published Police Scotland management data records a continued drop in reporting. The Authority welcomes that reduction.

“This provides visibility of the impact of the new Hate Crime legislation which Police Scotland has managed through contact centres with minimal impact on frontline policing.

“Ongoing trend analysis of this demand will provide a longer-term view of the impact on policing in Scotland.”

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said these latest statistics represent “another sharp decrease” in the number of online hate crime reports made to Police Scotland since April 1.

“Police Scotland received 390 online hate crime reports, which is a 79 per cent decrease since the week before and a near 95 per cent decrease since the first week of operation of the new laws,” she said.

“As might have been anticipated given the elevated coverage at the time of the Act’s introduction on April 1, the volume of reports received by police has reduced significantly in the second and third weeks. I am therefore pleased to see that the effect of misinformation and misrepresentation of the Act peddled over the last few weeks has subsided.

“Hate crime is behaviour which is both criminal and rooted in prejudice; where the offender’s actions have been driven by hatred towards a particular group. Hatred for people just on the basis of who they are. That is unacceptable.

“Police Scotland has been clear that demand continues to be managed within its contact centres and the impact on frontline policing has been minimal. I am grateful for their outstanding dedication and professionalism as this law came into force, and for all they do to keep communities safe.”