A joint open letter from over 20 individuals and organisations highlights their concerns over the impact on artistic expression and free expression of the draft Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill.
The letter co-ordinated by Humanist Society
Scotland has support from authors Val McDermid, Chirs Brookmyre and Alan Bissett alongside arts administrators Dame Seona Reid and the artistic director of Dundee Rep, Andrew Paton. They join Cartoonists Rights International and academics such as Prof AC
Grayling and Prof Timothy Garden Ash alongside many others.
The letter reads:
We represent a diverse group of individuals and organisations concerned about the impact on freedom of expression of the proposed Hate Crime and
Public Order Bill as currently drafted.
We welcome the provisions to consolidate existing aggravated hate crimes and the repeal of the blasphemy law.
However, the Bill creates stirring up offences without
any intent being examined; merely that the words, action, or artwork might do so. This offence could even be applied to being in possession of materials produced by someone else, where sharing the material could stir up hatred.
The unintended consequences of this well meaning Bill risk stifling freedom of expression, and the ability to articulate or criticise religious and other beliefs.
As currently worded, the Bill could frustrate rational debate and discussion which has a fundamental role in society including in artistic endeavour. The arts play a key part in shaping Scotland's identity in addition to being a
significant economic contributor.
The right to critique ideas, philosophical, religious and other must be protected to allow an artistic and democratic society to flourish.
Fraser Sutherland, Chief
Executive, Humanist Society Scotland Andrew Copson, Chief Executive, Humanists UK Scottish PEN Index on Censorship Chris Brookmyre, Novelist Val McDermid, Writer Elaine C Smith, Actor and Comedian Dame Seona Reid, Arts Administrator Alan Bissett, Playwright and Novelist Ruth Wishart, Journalist and Broadcaster Andrew Panton, Artistic Director Dundee Rep / Joint CEO Dundee Rep & Scottish Dance Theatre Ltd
Prof. Maggie Kinloch, Theatre Director & Chair Humanist Society Scotland Ariane Sherine, Comedian and Journalist Joan Smith, Journalist, novelist, and human rights activist Peter Tatchell, Director, Peter
Tatchell Foundation Rowan Atkinson, Comedian Prof. A C Grayling, Philosopher and Author Prof. Timothy Garton Ash, Historian and author of Free Speech Nick Ross, Television and Radio Presenter Terry
Anderson, Executive Director, Cartoonists Rights Network International Gary McLelland, Chief Executive, Humanists International Michael Connarty, Former MP and former Chair of Parliamentary Humanist Group Dr Evan Harris,
Former MP and former Vice-Chair of Parliamentary Humanist Group Quilliam Foundation
A Chinese Consulate put pressure on Belfast Council to remove an image of Tiananmen Square from a public art exhibition.
A photo from the Double Take exhibition, by Zurich-based artists Jojakim Cortis and Adrian Sonderegger, displayed images of
Airfix like model kits recreating globally significant events. In this case depicting an iconic image of a lone protester in front of a convoy of military tanks in Beijing.
The photograph was not removed, although it is understood the exhibition
was scheduled to end a short time after the matter was raised. A council spokesman said:
We received a complaint in June 2019 in relation to a photograph in the Double Take exhibition, part of the Belfast Photographic
Festival, on the front lawns of Belfast City Hall. The photograph was not removed.
Amnesty International's Northern Ireland programme director Patrick Corrigan said:
It is outrageous that the Chinese
Consulate apparently sought to have the photograph, commemorating the brave students of 1989, removed from the grounds of Belfast City Hall. The state censorship of Beijing cannot be extended to Belfast.
Scotland's government has joined the ranks of many others around the world who are actively working on constraining free speech by amending existing laws to make them even more oppressive than before.
The current law restricting 'hate crimes' is
similar to that in England and Wales, covering threats, abuse, and insults.
But based on what's described as a hard-line report from 2018, Scotland's upgraded Hate Crime and Public Order Bill proposed by parliament now looks to change that and
introduce three new offences,
The first will enable for prosecution of doing anything, or communicating any material, which is threatening or abusive and is intended or likely to engender hatred based on age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender or intersex
identity.
Secondly having material of this kind in one's possession meant to be in any way communicated to others will in itself now be a crime,
and thirdly, managers in organizations of any type not acting to prevent the new set of
criminalized behaviours will be criminalized themselves.
The proposals' critics say it is anti-liberal and must not be allowed to pass, pointing out that the bill takes the focus away from punishing acts of hostility based on their gravity regardless of who they target, and instead introduces a tiered
approach, depending on groups that are designated as considered more 'worthy' of the victimhood status.
Offsite Comment: Scotland's new hate speech law will be too censorious
A joint open letter from over 20 individuals and organisations highlights their concerns over the impact on artistic expression and free expression of the draft Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill. 
A Chinese Consulate put pressure on Belfast Council to remove an image of Tiananmen Square from a public art exhibition. 
Scotland's government has joined the ranks of many others around the world who are actively working on constraining free speech by amending existing laws to make them even more oppressive than before. 
12th May 2020. See 
15th May 2020. See 