POLL OF THE DAY: Do you back JK Rowling in hate crime row? YOUR VERDICT
JK Rowling urged Scottish police to 'arrest' her in a series of social media posts over the new Hate Crime and Public Order Act
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Monday saw the Hate Crime and Public Order Act come into effect in Scotland and JK Rowling made her feelings very clear on social media.
The Harry Potter author dared the police to "arrest" her in a string of X posts.
In a series of tweets she described several transgender women as men, including convicted prisoners, trans activists, and other public figures.
One of the 10 high-profile trans figures she mentioned was Isla Bryson, previously known as Adam Graham, who was sent to Scotland’s only women’s jail in 2023 after being convicted of two counts of rape.
POLL OF THE DAY: Do you back JK Rowling in hate crime row? YOUR VERDICT
GB News
Rowling, who lives in Edinburgh, wrote online: "Freedom of speech and belief are at an end in Scotland if the accurate description of biological sex is deemed criminal.
"I’m currently out of the country, but if what I’ve written here qualifies as an offence under the terms of the new act, I look forward to being arrested when I return to the birthplace of the Scottish Enlightenment."
In an exclusive poll for GB News membership readers, an overwhelming majority (98 per cent) of the 1948 voters backed JK Rowling, while just two per cent did not.
On Tuesday it was revealed that the 58-year-old will not face any further action in relation to her tweets.
A spokesperson from Scottish police said her comments "are not assessed to be criminal".
JK Rowling will not face further actionPAA Police Scotland spokesperson said: "We have received complaints in relation to the social media post.
"The comments are not assessed to be criminal and no further action will be taken."
Reacting to the news, Rowling wrote on X: "I hope every woman in Scotland who wishes to speak up for the reality and importance of biological sex will be reassured by this announcement, and I trust that all women - irrespective of profile or financial means - will be treated equally under the law."
Prior to the update, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he would not be drawn on whether he supported her approach, saying that it was "not right for me to comment on police matters, individual matters".
But he added: "We should not be criminalising people saying common sense things about biological sex, clearly that isn’t right. We have a proud tradition of free speech."