Police Scotland has published its second weekly publication of Hate Crime and Incident Reporting which reveals that online reporting has dropped by almost 75 per cent.

Online reports in week one of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, which came into effect on 1 April 2024, totalled 7,152. Reports received online during the second week (8 to 14 April 2024) totalled 1,832 – a drop of 74.4 per cent. Police Scotland’s management data also shows that, across the week, daily online reports continued to fall with 375 received on 8 April and 82 on 14 April.

The number of reports meeting the threshold for recording as a hate crime has also fallen from 232 in week one to 213 in week two with the major crime aggravator remaining race.

A spokesperson for the Authority said:

“The Scottish Police Authority welcomes this second week of management data which records a significant drop in online reporting. These reports are allowing the Authority to track and analyse the policing response to this new legislation and understand demand.

“Police Scotland has confirmed that it continues to manage demands within contact centres with minimal impact on frontline policing.”