First minister calls for end to vexatious reports after far-right agitators attempt to ‘overwhelm’ official systems

Neo-Nazi and far-right agitators are exploiting Scotland’s new hate crime law to make vexatious complaints en masse in an attempt to “overwhelm” police systems.

A prominent figure in England’s white nationalist movement is among those urging followers to spam Police Scotland with anonymous online reports, the *Observer *has found.

The leader of a far-right group – one of several fringe organisations being assessed by the UK government under its new extremism definition – promoted a private channel on the encrypted messaging app Telegram that includes a “call to action” urging members to “mass report”.

Posts in the channel instruct members to log cases of supposed “anti-white” hate, which they say includes a statement on the police force’s website that “young men aged 18-30 are most likely to commit hate crime”.

  • circuscritic
    link
    fedilink
    English
    97 months ago

    Reports not substantiated will be filed as hate incidents.

    Hate incidents can be included on the records requested by employers, as it is relevant information held by the police.

    I’m not sure what you’re not understanding.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      17 months ago

      Hate incidents are not recorded against alleged perpetrators, but their names appear in the police files for the complainant.