Hate crime law
The Free Speech Union has covered 96 stories on this topic. Browse our coverage below.
23 July 2026
The Government has commissioned a dystopian instruction manual: it takes the war on "misinformation" to the next level
A new Government-commissioned report brands scepticism of gender ideology as 'misinformation' worthy of state suppression, while barely mentioning the anti-Semitic conspiracy theories that have fuelled real hatred since 7 October — prompting warnings from the FSU's Lord Young that Britain risks turning Orwell's fiction into policy.
17 July 2026
Major policing reforms delayed until Autumn as Labour changes its leader
The Government has delayed publication of Lord Macdonald's landmark review of public order and hate crime law until the Autumn, blaming the transition from Keir Starmer to Andy Burnham — leaving police forces and protestors in continued confusion.
5 June 2026
The FSU is supporting a former hate crime scrutiny panel chair after she was sacked by police for calling the threat from Islamism the "elephant in the room"
The Chairman of Bradford's policing scrutiny panel was sacked by West Yorkshire Police after complaining that officers were ignoring the elephant in the room of Islamist extremism after last year's synagogue attack.
2 June 2026
FSU Henry Nowak Statement
Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old student, was stabbed with a 21cm ceremonial knife on a night out in Southampton. When police arrived, they handcuffed and arrested him for an alleged racial slur rather than trying to save his life. The Free Speech Union has long warned that the police need to get their priorities straight, and there are serious questions Hampshire Police must answer.
29 May 2026
27 Labour MPs Write to the Equality and Human Rights Commission Accusing Reform UK of Islamophobia
Labour MPs write to the Equality and Human Rights Commission to accuse Reform UK of Islamophobia. The Free Speech Union has long warned that the Government's official definition of Islamophobia would be weaponised to silence legitimate criticism of Islam.
6 May 2026
Nurseries are being urged to report 'racist toddlers' to the police under taxpayer-funded guidance backed by Labour
Welsh nurseries are being advised to report "racist toddlers" to the police under taxpayer-funded guidance backed by the Welsh Labour Government — and yes, even the snacks must be "diverse".
5 May 2026
Is it a crime to make fun of a keffiyeh?
A student is under police investigation for comparing a Palestine activist's headgear to a 'tea towel' — the latest example of Britain's de facto blasphemy law at work on university campuses.
28 February 2026
Britain is on course for a blasphemy law by the back door, and a recent case might open it
A man who burned a Quran in protest was convicted while his knife-wielding attacker walked free. Is the CPS quietly reviving blasphemy law by the back door?
15 December 2025
Ex-Royal Marine Jamie Michael banned from working with children after referring to Southport murderer as a “creature”
8 December 2025
Royal Marine veteran banned from coaching his daughter’s football team over his ‘right-wing’ views
27 November 2025
The CPS go after Hamit Coskun…again
28 July 2025
Councillor investigated for “stirring up racial hatred” after raising questions about migrant hotel scheme
2 July 2025
Council accused of acting on false hate crime report to sanction gender-critical artist
4 June 2025
Protect freedom to criticise Islam in law, MPs demand
12 May 2025
Southport riot report undermines far-right narrative – but opens door to speech crackdown
1 May 2025
Free Speech Union helps overturn conviction of man who dressed as Manchester Arena bomber
16 March 2025
Jewish students “scared to leave halls” as societies share Hamas propaganda
14 March 2025
No charges for east London Imam’s “destroy Jewish homes” sermon
8 February 2025
Labour reported me for racial hatred – a Jury cleared me in less than 20 minutes
5 February 2025
Former Royal Marine cleared of racial hatred charge over Facebook video
31 December 2024
Tougher Irish laws on hate crime come into force
13 December 2024
Baroness facing suspension for calling fellow peer “Lord Poppadom”
13 December 2024
Huge increase in anti-Semitism on British campuses
8 December 2024
Israeli author “subjected to anti-Semitic abuse by security” at Luton Airport
8 December 2024
“Your book is too Jewish”: How the British publishing industry began an ‘anti-Semitic silent boycott’
4 December 2024
Oxford Union accused of breaking the law during Israel debate
1 December 2024
Britain has a blasphemy law in all but name
20 November 2024
The police handle crimes against Jews strangely leniently
17 November 2024
Police get hate laws wrong 90pc of the time, says shadow home secretary
17 November 2024
Policing ‘hate speech’ is just the latest method of enforcing Left-wing orthodoxy
29 October 2024
Man cleared of stirring up racial hatred over Southport posts
24 October 2024
Conservative politician’s wife to appeal sentence for online incitement to racial hatred
23 October 2024
Met Police constable sacked for offensive tweets about Jewish and non-Muslim people
16 October 2024
Qur’an burner charged with hate crime in Swedish Court
30 September 2024
Jewish students withdrawing from university life as antisemitic abuse soars in wake of October 7th attacks
22 September 2024
Asian man who posed as far-Right hooligan to stir up racial hatred against Muslims is jailed
22 September 2024
Does Britain Need a First Amendment?
28 August 2024
Hate crime measures axed by Tories over free speech fears back on agenda
18 August 2024
Labour plans to treat “misogyny” as extremism threaten freedom of speech, critics say
7 August 2024
German court convicts activist for leading ‘from the river to the sea’ chant
17 July 2024
Germany rejects ‘counterspeech doctrine’ in favour of banning right-wing magazine
16 July 2024
Cyprus proposes five-year prison sentences for spreading “fake news”
8 July 2024
Germany, cradle of the hate speech law
24 June 2024
UN planning new “Global Principles” to assist states in “eradicating” all forms of ‘hate speech’
15 June 2024
The illiberal implications of Labour’s manifesto
15 May 2024
Nearly half of Scots want country’s Hate Crime Act repealed amid free speech fears, according to new poll
8 May 2024
Facebook to investigate ‘from the river to the sea’ posts
8 May 2024
Young AfD politician convicted after publishing gang rape statistics in connection with Afghan migration
29 April 2024
Humza Yousaf resigns - what next for Scotland's hate crime regime?
29 April 2024
Scotland: Thirty Days of Hate Crime Laws
25 April 2024
Irish PM presses ahead with catastrophic hate speech law
24 April 2024
Just 0.6pc of new SNP ‘hate crime’ reports deemed criminal offences
23 April 2024
Finnish politician Päivi Räsänen ‘Hate Speech’ Case Appealed to Supreme Court
16 April 2024
Humza Yousaf faces Tory vote to repeal hate crime law
15 April 2024
Stand-up comic says legislation puts comedians at risk of being punished for tongue-in-cheek gags
11 April 2024
Hate Crime call handlers given script defending First Minister Humza Yousaf
10 April 2024
JK Rowling is wasting police time with hate law ‘provocations’, suggests SNP
10 April 2024
Just 4pc of new SNP ‘hate crime’ reports deemed criminal offences
10 April 2024
Police chief reveals SNP could extend hate crime laws to offer trans people more protection
10 April 2024
Scotland’s Hate Crime Act may have done us all a favour
9 April 2024
Scotland’s hate crime act is stifling academic freedom
8 April 2024
Scotland’s Hate Crime Act being “exploited” to fuel personal and political vendettas
5 April 2024
FSU establishes free speech hotline in response to Scotland’s new hate crime law
4 April 2024
It’s not just truer of Scotland, Britain is no longer a free country
4 April 2024
Three years in prison for insulting LGBT folk: Poland prepares new hate speech law
3 April 2024
How Scotland ended up with the Hate Crime Act
3 April 2024
JK Rowling will not face prosecution under Scotland hate crime law
2 April 2024
JK Rowling challenges police: Arrest me under Scottish hate crime law
2 April 2024
Scotland’s new hate crime law could be used to ‘settle scores’, say critics
30 March 2024
How Scotland became an Orwellian nightmare
29 March 2024
In defence of forgiveness
25 March 2024
Edinburgh fringe will be “busier than normal” for police due to SNP’s crackdown on free speech
25 March 2024
Humza Yousaf’s ‘Tory free’ Scotland is no longer free
25 March 2024
Police Scotland admits investigation policy risks helping criminals
23 March 2024
Scotland's hate crime law a threat to freedom of speech, says author Val McDermid
22 March 2024
Free speech warning from Scotland's police watchdog on new hate crime law
22 March 2024
Police Scotland accused of parodying JK Rowling with gender critical ‘Jo’ character in hate crime training
21 March 2024
Humza Yousaf’s hate crime law labelled a “chilling” threat to freedom of speech by Rishi Sunak
21 March 2024
Police Scotland accused of parodying JK Rowling with gender critical ‘Jo’ character in hate crime training
19 March 2024
JK Rowling vows to defy “ludicrous” new hate crime laws
14 March 2024
Michael Gove announces new definition of “extremism” amid free speech concerns
13 March 2024
SNP’s hate crime law activated despite fears over free speech
11 March 2024
House arrest for people deemed likely to commit hate-crimes in Justin Trudeau’s Canada
4 March 2024
Free speech concerns raised after man jailed for two years for running “far-right” stickers library
26 February 2024
Police officer to undergo ‘reflective training’ after arrest of autistic teenage girl who said she looked like her “lesbian nana”
23 February 2024
Former Tory MP Bob Stewart has racial abuse conviction quashed
22 February 2024
European Parliament reprimands yet another right-wing MEP over alleged ‘hate speech’
31 January 2024
The Laurence Fox ruling should horrify anyone who cares about freedom of expression
31 January 2024
Victims of cancel culture unite for free speech, calling on Ireland to abandon far-reaching censorship bill
26 January 2024
Draconian new hate crime bill tops agenda for FSU’s free speech summit
26 January 2024
Elon Musk to fund legal challenges to Irish ‘hate speech’ legislation
24 January 2024
EU's proposed hate speech bill to crackdown on lawful dissent
24 January 2024
Is Britain a ‘free country’ anymore?
24 January 2024
The Brussels-led pathologization of speech
23 January 2024
Three attacked "for being Jewish" and "speaking Hebrew" in Leicester Square
22 January 2024
European Parliament Opens ‘Hate Speech’ Investigation Into Yet Another Right-Wing MEP
