A woman who reported an anti-semitic sign she saw on Facebook to Police Scotland claimed the force dropped the case due to her not being Jewish.
The post, which depicts a Nazi swastika within a star of David, was allegedly made by a relative of a SNP minister and had the caption “Nazism = Zionism”.
The woman said that despite reporting the post to the authorities, she was told that no charges would be issued as she is not Jewish.
The incident comes a week after Scotland’s new hate crime laws came into effect. The legislation criminalises material that a “reasonable person” would consider “likely to result in hatred being stirred up against a group”.
A woman who reported an anti-semitic sign she saw on Facebook to Police Scotland claimed the force dropped the case due to her not being Jewish
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Scotland's Hate Crime and Public Order Act, enacted on April 1, outlaws "stirring up" hate based on race, age, religion, disability and transgender identity.
The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she informed the police on Thursday and made an official statement at her local station on Saturday.
However, she claimed that she was grilled on her ethnicity during the questioning. Within an hour, the complaint was dropped.
She said that the police officer moaned that they had been inundated with complaints.
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First Minister Humza Yousaf introduced the laws in Scotland on April 1
PA“The officer called me later that afternoon. He said, ‘Can I ask you, are you Jewish?' I said no. He said, 'I'm going to ask you again; it's just because I need the box ticked. Do you identify as being Jewish?' I said no, I'm not going to lie to get anybody charged," she told The Mail.
“'He said, 'Well, that falls outwith the parameters. It won't be moving forward as a crime. It will be logged as an incident, but it will not be going further criminally'.”
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism includes making comparisons of current Israeli policy to the Nazis.
The definition was adopted by The Scottish Government in 2017.
Protesters demonstrate outside the Scottish Parliament as Scotland’s Hate Crime Law comes into forceProtesters demonstrate outside the Scottish Parliament as Scotland’s Hate Crime Law comes into forceScottish Conservative justice spokesman Russell Findlay said: “This vile anti-Semitic post appears to be a genuine crime motivated by hatred and which would therefore merit an appropriate policing response.
“It is deeply concerning if such cases are being lost amidst the vast deluge of spurious complaints being made to police from those who are weaponising Humza Yousaf's hate crime law.”
The woman emphasised that she did not report the post because it was made by a minister's relative, however condemned it as "unacceptable".
Police Scotland said it was unable to comment on the case.
The force received more than 3,000 complaints in the first 48 hours since the new legislation was introduced.
