POLICE Scotland has said it is not taking any further action after receiving complaints about a JK Rowling Twitter/X post.
The author said on Easter Monday she was "looking forward to being arrested" when she returns to Scotland in a warning over the Hate Crime Act.
She has been one of the highest profile critics of the legislation and said it is “wide open to abuse” in an April Fool's "joke" post.
A Police Scotland spokesperson has said: "We have received complaints in relation to the social media post. The comments are not assessed to be criminal and no further action will be taken.”
In response to the latest news, the Harry Potter author posted on Twitter/X: "I hope every woman in Scotland who wishes to speak up for the reality and importance of biological sex will be reassured by this announcement, and I trust that all women - irrespective of profile or financial means - will be treated equally under the law."
The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act came into effect on Monday, consolidating existing hate crime legislation and creating a new offence of stirring up hatred against protected characteristics.
READ MORE: Inside the hate crime law protest at the Scottish Parliament
However, women have not been given protection under the law, with the Scottish Government instead promising to bring forward legislation to tackle misogyny.
But with the new act giving protection to transgender people, Rowling, who does not believe people can change their gender, insisted: “Freedom of speech and belief are at an end in Scotland if the accurate description of biological sex is deemed criminal.”
In the Twitter/X post, the writer argued: “It is impossible to accurately describe or tackle the reality of violence and sexual violence committed against women and girls, or address the current assault on women’s and girls’ rights, unless we are allowed to call a man a man.”
Criticising the new laws, she insisted that the “legislation is wide open to abuse by activists who wish to silence those of us speaking out about the dangers of eliminating women’s and girls’ single-sex spaces”.
Rowling added: “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.”
However, First Minister Humza Yousaf has declared he is “very proud” of the new laws, saying they will help protect against a “rising tide” of hatred.
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