JK Rowling Twitter: Police launch investigation into online death threats towards Harry Potter author

Police are investigating after online threats were made towards Harry Potter author JK Rowling and Labour MP Rosie Duffield.

A Twitter user has allegedly threatened to kill JK Rowling “with a hammer” over her opinions on gender reform legislation. They also supposedly threatened to bring a ‘big gun’ to a meeting with Labour MP Rosie Duffield, who recently spoke out in support of the UK Government’s blocking of Scotland's new Gender Recognition Reform Bill.

The same account also tweeted about driving a car through a protest planned in Glasgow by a gender critical campaign group.

The Harry Potter author responded to the threats on social media, tweeting: “The charmer who's been publicly advocating for a car to be driven into Posie Parker's rally, who's posted recordings of himself saying he wants to kill Rosie Duffield with a gun and me with a hammer, appears to have been identified. Social media's fun til it isn't, eh, brave boy?”

Police are investigating online threats sent to Harry Potter author JK Rowling. (Picture: John Phillips/Getty Images)

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We can confirm that we have received a report of online threats being made. Officers are carrying out enquiries.”

Rowling and Duffield are amongst those in opposition of Scotland’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill, which seeks to make it simpler for people to change their legal gender. Scottish Secretary Alister Jack recently announced that Westminster would be blocking the bill, prompting an outcry from the Scottish Government and LGBTQ+ groups. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hit back at the move and said the Scottish government would "vigorously defend" the bill in court.