National Hate Crime Awareness Week
More than 9000 hate crimes were recorded in Scotland last year, a figure that should concern every one of us. As we mark National Hate Crime Awareness Week, it is a moment to reflect on what these numbers tell us about our society.
Hostility does not emerge overnight. It grows from misinformation, repeated narratives and fear that parties like Reform UK deliberately weaponise to deepen division. Once prejudice becomes normalised in public discourse, it inevitably spills into our streets, workplaces and schools.
Between April 2024 and March 2025, Police Scotland reported 9342 hate crimes under the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, the first full year since the Act came into force.
Racial prejudice remains the most common trigger, accounting for almost 60 per cent of all cases. Behind every statistic is a person who has been made to feel unsafe in their own community. Many more incidents go unreported, as victims fear stigma, disbelief or a lack of confidence in the system meant to protect them.
As convener of the Cross-Party Group on Challenging Racial and Religious Prejudice, I have seen first-hand the scale of work underway to address hate in Scotland.
The group brings together MSPs, faith leaders, academics and community organisations to challenge the systems that allow hate to take root.
One of our priorities is consistent, government-backed education on race, religion and equality in every classroom, alongside stronger interfaith work to build understanding early.
There are strong community-led initiatives across Scotland, but the scale of the issue demands more than isolated projects. If we are serious about reducing hate crime, the lived experiences of minority communities must shape how our institutions operate, from school curriculum design to frontline policing.
That is why I continue to urge the Scottish Government and local authorities to invest in prevention, expand community outreach, and ensure victims receive meaningful support.
Because the future of Scotland must be one in which every person, no matter their race, faith, language or background, is treated with dignity and respect.
That is the Scotland we must build together, and the standard we should hold ourselves to.