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SCOTLAND’S Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf vowed to avoid a “culture of acceptance” on hate crime today, as a new report showed recorded instances staying at the same level over five years.
Glasgow and Edinburgh accounted for 48 per cent of all hate crimes last year, despite only a fifth of the population of Scotland living in the two major cities.
A total of 6,736 crimes were recorded on Police Scotland’s hate crime database in 2017-18, the report states.
The vast majority, 67 per cent, were racist, while the second most common target was sexual orientation.
A further 7 per cent were based on religion, with 4 per cent victimising those with disabilities and 1 per cent targeting transgender people.
These proportions remained relatively consistent between 2014-15 and 2017-18.
Mr Yousaf said: “We are committed to tackling all forms of bigotry, prejudice and discrimination in Scotland and I welcome the new information in this report.
“This shows that around two-thirds of hate crimes are race-related, underlining the importance of our ongoing efforts to tackle racism wherever it occurs.
“While the overall volume of hate crime dealt with by the police has remained stable, we also know that many incidents go unreported and we are determined to avoid a culture of acceptance.
“We all have a role to play in stamping out all forms of prejudice and ensuring Scotland is the inclusive and forward-thinking society that we want to be.
“Our message to perpetrators is clear — this kind of hatred will not be tolerated in Scotland.
“We will continue to support Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority as they work to develop more detailed information on hate crime.”
More than half of all hate crimes the force recorded in 2017-18 were for threatening or abusive behaviour at 45 per cent, with racially aggravated conduct accounting for just under a quarter (23 per cent).
A total of 13 per cent of hate crimes were for common assault, 5 per cent were offences relating to the 2003 Communications Act such as such as sending indecent or menacing text messages, and two per cent were for serious violence or sexual crimes.
Since 2014-15, the number of hate crimes recorded by the police in Scotland has fluctuated between 6,600 and 7,000.
