I'll look forward to being arrested

Defiant JK Rowling attacks hate crime laws with blast at 'April Fools' in Scottish Govt

- CHRIS MCCALL

JK ROWLING has launched a blistering attack on the new hate crime laws that came into force in Scotland yesterday.

The Harry Potter author - a frequent critic of the Scottish Government's stance on transgender rights warned the legislation was "wide open to abuse".

In a series of messages shared with her 14 million followers on social media, Rowling said: "Freedom of speech and belief are at an end in Scotland if the accurate description of biological sex is deemed criminal.

"I'm currently out of the country, but if what I've written here qualifies as an offence under the terms of the new act, I look forward to being arrested when I return to the birthplace of the Scottish Enlightenment." Her message was posted after an SNP minister warned Scots "could be investigated" for misgendering someone online under the laws.

The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act consolidates hate crime legislation and also creates an offence of stirring up hatred against protected characteristics.

But critics have slammed SNP ministers for not including women as a characteristic entitled to protection under the law.

The Scottish Government is instead promising to bring forward legislation to tackle misogyny.

Humza Yousaf insisted yesterday he was "very proud of the new laws, saying they would help protect against a "rising tide" of hatred.

The First Minister also said he is "very confident in Police Scotland's ability to implement this legislation in the way it should".

The SNP leader added: "Let's remember of course that when it comes to stirring up offences of racial hatred, stirring up offences have existed since 1986, being policed with virtually no.