The New Scottish Hate Law.

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

This is Interesting the Scottish Hate Law that as come into affect will cause havoc in Scottish Football and quite possibly English football as well. By that I mean if you say something  write some and  another person finds it offensive then you could End Up Going To Jail for up to Seven Years. So that means Fans won't be able to Chant or call out a bad decision made by a Match Official because if he feels he's being victimised then what will happen? Does it mean Clubs will be fined? Will clubs have to install C.C.T.V to try and locate Fans who have said or appeared to say something against an official or even another Fan either one of their own or the opposition? And get that Person Arrested?

So lets see what Chants would have to be stopped by Notts supporters. You're Not Singing Any More. A visiting Fans is upset because the Kop are insinuating they can't Sing! I had a Wheelbarrow the wheel fell off this gives the impression that who ever built the Wheelbarrow produced Shoddy Workmanship. You Don't Know What You're Doing, this clearly Shows that it's being insinuated that the person who's being shouted at is Thick or Stupid. Get In, this will upset opposition Fans because they don't want their Team Scored Against.

Chants or expressions that will be alright (or Perhaps Not) Excuse me Mr Referee but I Believe you got that Decision Wrong. I can loan you my Spectacles if you wish.  I think that player is a Real Hard illegitimate child. I think our Head Coach is unsure about the team's line up. And I'm sure Fellow Magpie Fans can think up other things I May Have Missed.

[Robbie]

@Wheelbarrow repair man

Agree it could cause havoc and lots of confusion with fans with what they can chant and what they can't chant in spectator sports like Football.

I believe the Scottish Government passed this law 3 years ago but waited till this year, April 1st, to put it in force.

Trouble with lots of laws of enforcement, it is never made totally clear what's allowed and what is not allowed, 

For instance the 30 mph speed limit. Some Police forces allow up to 33 mph but other police forces prosecute if you are caught doing 31.

It will only be made a little more clearer when people are prosecuted under this law. But then again, it might not.

 

[Super_Danny_Allsopp]

An abomination by the continually increasing totalitarian illiberals, dressed and self designated 'liberals'. 

[liampie]

it comes from a guy who did a hate speech towards white people, missing the point that to get other ethnic groups into something it takes the opportunity and encouragement. hes very deluded and is ruining scotland. he has one vision and it comes across hitlerish.

[Joshua]

The measures being implemented don’t seem to make sense. They are excessive and potentially threaten freedom of speech. While hate crime is a serious issue that needs addressing, the matters Scotland is pursuing don’t appear to be related to hate. It seems like a case of political correctness gone awry.

[Robbie]

What worries lots of people around the Country is the prospect of a new Labour government proposing a similar law in England, and Wales, which could cause havoc in English and Welsh football too.

With Labour, the Libdems, Scottish Nationalists & the Greens on course to be the biggest block of MPs in Westminster after the election, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that such a law could be passed at some point during the Labour administration.

[Piethagoram]

A useful overview. It's a difficult topic as I feel the mantra of "freedom of speech" should remain paramount in all democracies

[DangerousSausage]

This sounds a bit harsh. Is it compulsory to hate the Scottish now? I can't always understand what they're saying, but there's no ill will. One of them once asked me for a fight in an airport terminal, but he asked politely and I declined, so it was all amicable. I'm looking forward to a few days in Scotland this month, hopefully with no fighting.

Being serious, I haven't read the law (and I suspect the other people commenting here haven't either), so it's a little bit over my head. I'm not going to take anti-trans hate groups' word for it thank you. On the other hand, language is a highly subjective thing, and that means laws like this are difficult to put into practice and could potentially be turned against the people they were originally designed to protect. Some of the most effective and prolific hatemongers use insinuations rather than outright abusive language.