Editing Hate crime (section)

====United Kingdom====
For [[England]], [[Wales]], and [[Scotland]], the [[Sentencing Act 2020]] makes racial or religious hostility, or hostility related to disability, sexual orientation, or transgender identity an [[aggravation (legal concept)|aggravation]] in [[Sentence (law)|sentencing]] for crimes in general.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2020/17/section/66|title=Sentencing Act 2020 section 66|work=legislation.gov.uk}}</ref>

Separately, the [[Crime and Disorder Act 1998]] defines separate offences, with increased sentences, for racially or religiously aggravated assaults, harassment, and a handful of public order offences.

For [[Northern Ireland]], Public Order 1987 (S.I. 1987/463 (N.I. 7)) serves the same purposes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1987/463/contents/made|title=Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1987|website=www.legislation.gov.uk|publisher=UK Legislation}}</ref> A "racial group" is a group of persons defined by reference to race, colour, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins. A "religious group" is a group of persons defined by reference to religious belief or lack of religious belief.

"Hate crime" legislation is distinct from "hate speech" legislation. See [[Hate speech laws in the United Kingdom]].

The [[Crime Survey for England and Wales]] (CSEW) reported in 2013 that there were an average of 278,000 hate crimes a year with 40 percent being reported according to a victims survey; police records only identified around 43,000 hate crimes a year.<ref>{{cite news|last = Arnett| first = George| url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/dec/17/how-prevalent-hate-crime-england-wales | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=Hate crime in England and Wales: how prevalent is it? | date=17 December 2013|access-date=29 June 2016}}</ref>{{update inline|date=August 2020}} It was reported that police recorded a 57-percent increase in hate crime complaints in the four days following the UK's [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|European Union membership referendum]]; however, a press release from the National Police Chief's Council stated that "this should not be read as a national increase in hate crime of 57 percent".<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/27/sadiq-khan-muslim-council-britain-warning-of-post-brexit-racism Cameron condemns xenophobic and racist abuse after Brexit vote], ''The Guardian'' 27 June 2016, accessed 29 June 2016</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.npcc.police.uk/releases/hate-crime-is-unacceptable-in-any-circumstances-say-police|title=Hate crime is unacceptable in any circumstances say police |work=National Police Chief's Council |date=27 June 2016|access-date=13 October 2016}}</ref>

In 2013, [[Greater Manchester Police]] began recording attacks on goths, punks and other [[alternative culture]] groups as hate crimes.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/apr/03/manchester-police-goths-punks-hate-crime | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=Manchester police to record attacks on goths, emos and punks as hate crimes | date=3 April 2013}}</ref>

On 4 December 2013, [[Essex Police]] launched the 'Stop the Hate' initiative as part of a concerted effort to find new ways to tackle hate crime in Essex. The launch was marked by a conference in [[Chelmsford]], hosted by Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh, which brought together 220 delegates from a range of partner organizations involved in the field. The theme of the conference was 'Report it to Sort it' and the emphasis was on encouraging people to tell police if they have been a victim of hate crime, whether it be based on race, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity or disability.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stopthehate.org.uk/2013/12/launch-of-stop-the-hate-initiative |title=Launch of 'Stop the Hate' initiative |publisher=Stop the hate |date=4 December 2013 |access-date=12 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140723012117/http://www.stopthehate.org.uk/2013/12/launch-of-stop-the-hate-initiative/ |archive-date=23 July 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Crown Prosecution Service]] guidance issued on 21 August 2017 stated that online hate crimes should be treated as seriously as offences in person.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40981235|title= Hate crimes: Fresh guidance on online offences | work = BBC News |date=21 August 2017}}</ref>

Perhaps the most high-profile hate crime in modern Britain occurred in [[Eltham]], [[London]], on 24 April 1993, when 18-year-old black student [[Stephen Lawrence]] was stabbed to death in an attack by a gang of white youths. Two white teenagers were later charged with the murder, and at least three other suspects were mentioned in the national media, but the charges against them were dropped within three months after the [[Crown Prosecution Service]] concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. However, a change in the law a decade later allowed a suspect to be charged with a crime twice if new evidence emerged after the original charges were dropped or a "not guilty" verdict was delivered in court. Gary Dobson, who had been charged with the murder in the initial 1993 investigation, was found guilty of Stephen Lawrence's murder in January 2012 and sentenced to life imprisonment, as was David Norris, who had not been charged in 1993. A third suspect, Luke Knight, had been charged in 1993 but was not charged when the case came to court nearly 20 years later.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

In September 2020, the [[Law Commission (England and Wales)|Law Commission]] proposed that sex or gender be added to the list of protected characteristics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/reforms-to-hate-crime-laws-to-make-them-fairer-and-to-protect-women-for-the-first-time/|title=Reforms to hate crime laws to make them fairer, and to protect women for the first time|website=www.lawcom.gov.uk |date=23 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last = Scott| first = Jennifer | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54254541|title= Misogyny: Women 'should be protected' under hate crime laws | work = BBC News |date=23 September 2020 |access-date=23 September 2020}}</ref>

The United Kingdom is a party to the Convention on Cybercrime, but not the Additional Protocol.

A 2021 investigation by ''[[Newsnight]]'' and ''[[The Law Society Gazette]]'' found that alleged hate crimes in which the victim was a police officer were significantly more likely to result in a successful prosecution. The investigation found that in several areas, crimes against police officers and staff constituted up to half of all hate crimes convictions, despite representing a much smaller proportion of reported incidents.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56546490|title=Hate crimes on police 'more likely to be charged'|date=27 March 2021|access-date=12 December 2021|publisher=[[BBC News]]|first1=Melanie|last1=Newman|first2=Richard|last2=Watson}}</ref>

=====Scotland=====
Under [[Scotland|Scottish]] [[Scots law#Common law|Common law]] the courts can take any aggravating factor into account when sentencing someone found guilty of an offence.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chapter 3: Current hate crime legislation in Scotland |url=http://www.gov.scot/publications/independent-review-hate-crime-legislation-scotland-consultation-non-technical-guide/pages/5/ |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=www.gov.scot |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=How distinctive is Scotland's new approach to sentencing guidelines? – Sentencing Academy |url=https://www.sentencingacademy.org.uk/scottish-sentencing-guidelines/ |access-date=2024-06-02 |language=en-US}}</ref> There is legislation dealing with the offences of incitement of racial hatred, racially aggravated harassment, and prejudice relating to religious beliefs, disability, sexual orientation, and transgender identity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2009/8/contents?section-1-7|title=Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Act 2009|website=www.legislation.gov.uk |publisher=UK Legislation}}</ref> A [[Scottish Executive]] working group examined the issue of hate crime and ways of combating crime motivated by social prejudice, reporting in 2004.<ref>{{cite web|title=Working Group on Hate Crime|url=http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/criminal/17543/8978 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107212250/http://www.scotland.gov.uk./Topics/Justice/criminal/17543/8978 |archive-date=7 January 2009}}</ref> Its main recommendations were not implemented, but in their manifestos for the [[2007 Scottish Parliament election]] several political parties included commitments to legislate in this area, including the [[Scottish National Party]], which now forms the Scottish Government.  The Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Bill was introduced on 19 May 2008 by [[Patrick Harvie]] MSP,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/bills/09-AggPrej/index.htm |title=Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Bill |publisher=Scottish.parliament.uk |access-date=21 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110825214959/http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/bills/09-AggPrej/index.htm |archive-date=25 August 2011 }}</ref>  having been prepared with support from the Scottish Government, and was passed unanimously by the [[Scottish Parliament|parliament]] on 3 June 2009.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8078988.stm|title= MSPs approve new hate crime laws | work = BBC News |date=3 June 2009}}</ref>

The [[Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021]] comes into force on 1 April 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Amery |first=Rachel |date=13 March 2024 |title=Hate crime law: Glasgow LGBT+ sex shop designated official reporting centre for controversial new laws |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/hate-crime-law-glasgow-lgbt-sex-shop-designated-official-reporting-centre-for-controversial-new-laws-4553231 |access-date=13 March 2024 |work=The Scotsman}}</ref> Its introduction was criticised by the [[Association of Scottish Police Superintendents]] saying it feared [[Police Scotland]] would be deluged by cases, diverting officers from tackling violent offenders and that the Act threatened to fuel claims of “institutional bias” against the force.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Boothman |first=John |date=28 March 2024 |title=Hate crime law 'will hamper fight against violent offenders' |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/hate-crime-law-will-hamper-fight-against-violent-criminals-7t9gs7pq0 |access-date=28 March 2024 |work=[[The Times]]}}</ref>

====== Non-crime hate incidents ======
In March 2024, [[Scottish Conservatives]] MSP [[Murdo Fraser]] threatened [[Police Scotland]] with legal action following his criticism of the [[Scottish Government]]'s transgender policy was logged as a "hate incident" after being told that his name appears in police records for expressing his view about the policy even though no crime was committed.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bol |first=David |date=25 March 2024 |title=Murdo Fraser accuses police of 'unlawful' behaviour after tweet recorded as 'hate incident' |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/murdo-fraser-accuses-police-of-unlawful-behaviour-after-tweet-recorded-as-hate-incident-4567214 |access-date=25 March 2024 |work=The Scotsman}}</ref> Fraser had shared a column written by Susan Dalgety for ''[[The Scotsman]]'', which claimed the Scottish Government's 'non-binary equality action plan' would lead to children being "damaged by this cult" and commenting "Choosing to identify as 'non-binary' is as valid as choosing to identify as a cat. I'm not sure governments should be spending time on action plans for either."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dalgety |first=Susan |date=18 November 2023 |title=Scottish Government is fostering a cult of gender-identity ideology that is destroying lives |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/scottish-government-is-fostering-a-cult-of-gender-identity-ideology-that-is-destroying-lives-susan-dalgety-4413621 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117223305/http://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/scottish-government-is-fostering-a-cult-of-gender-identity-ideology-that-is-destroying-lives-susan-dalgety-4413621 |archive-date=17 November 2023 |access-date=25 March 2024 |work=The Scotsman}}</ref>