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Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021

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Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 25 March 2026. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Help about Changes to Legislation

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  1. Introductory Text

  2. PART 1 Aggravation of offences by prejudice

    1. 1.Aggravation of offences by prejudice

    2. 2.Consequences of aggravation by prejudice

  3. PART 2 Offence of racially aggravated harassment

    1. 3.Racially aggravated harassment

  4. PART 3 Offences relating to stirring up hatred

    1. Offences of stirring up hatred

      1. 4.Offences of stirring up hatred

    2. Further provision relating to the offences

      1. 5.Powers of entry etc. with warrant

      2. 6.Recording conviction for offence under section 4

      3. 7.Forfeiture and disposal of material to which offence relates

      4. 8.Individual culpability where organisation commits offence

      5. 9.Protection of freedom of expression

      6. 10.Interpretation of Part 3

  5. PART 4 Further provision relating to hate crime

    1. The characteristics

      1. 11.Meaning of the characteristics

      2. 12.Power to add the characteristic of sex

    2. Providers of information society services

      1. 13.Provision in relation to providers of information society services

    3. Reports relating to hate crime

      1. 14.Publication of reports on hate crime convictions

      2. 15.Publication of reports on hate crime recorded by police

  6. PART 5 Abolition of the offence of blasphemy

    1. 16.Abolition of the offence of blasphemy

  7. PART 6 General provisions

    1. 17.Ancillary provision

    2. 18.Modifications of enactments

    3. 19.Crown application: criminal offences

    4. 20.Crown application: powers of entry

    5. 21.Commencement

    6. 22.Short title

    1. SCHEDULE 1

      Offences under sections 3 and 4: information society services

      1. Exceptions for mere conduits

        1. 1.(1) A service provider does not commit an offence under...

      2. Exception for caching

        1. 2.(1) This paragraph applies where an information society service consists...

      3. Exception for hosting

        1. 3.(1) A service provider does not commit an offence under...

      4. Interpretation

        1. 4.In this schedule— “information society services” has the meaning given...

    2. SCHEDULE 2

      Modifications of enactments

      1. Public Order Act 1986

        1. 1.(1) The Public Order Act 1986 is amended in accordance...

      2. Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995

        1. 2.Section 50A (racially-aggravated harassment) of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland)...

      3. Crime and Disorder Act 1998

        1. 3.Section 96 (offences racially aggravated) of the Crime and Disorder...

      4. Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003

        1. 4.Section 74 (offences aggravated by religious prejudice) of the Criminal...

      5. Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Act 2009

        1. 5.The Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Act 2009 is repealed....

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