Senior police officers have warned that enforcing the SNP’s hate crime law risks diverting officers from tackling violent offenders.
Members of the professional body that represents some of the most significant figures in Police Scotland also said that the bill threatened to fuel claims of “institutional bias” against the force.
The Association of Scottish Police Superintendents said there was “enough anger and hateful bile online to occupy every police officer in Scotland” and raised concerns about a pledge that all complaints would have to be investigated to determine whether a crime had taken place.
Concerns have been raised over the potential criminalisation of free expression while the superintendents warn that investigating the most serious crimes will be made “harder” by the expected wave of hate
