Government threatens prosecution of 'hate speech' in homes

Scotland's justice minister says he intends to clamp down on "hate speech" in private homes under a new bill that critics warn could make possessing the Bible a crime.

The bill leaves out a crucial defense included in other U.K. hate crime legislation, which protects conversations in the home from police intervention, free speech advocates point out, according to the U.K.'s Christian Institute.

Humza Haroon Yousaf, the cabinet secretary for justice,
issued the warning in a conversation with the Justice Committee about the proposed legislation.

The Christian Institute said Yousaf is refusing to provide a "dwelling defense," insisting that "hateful speech" in the home should be criminalized.

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Lord Bracadale, the judge whose recommendations led to the bill, later advised members of the Scottish Parliament that they should think carefully about allowing a public order offense to extend into the private sphere.

He said concern about such actions are "well-founded."

The Times of London reported the justice secretary said conversations over the dinner table that incite hatred must be prosecuted under the law.

It noted that journalists and theater directors also could face charges if what they write is perceived as deliberately stoking "prejudice."