Letter to MSPs on Scotland's Hate Crime and Public Order Bill The decision to withdraw amendments on freedom of expression at the eleventh hour will have a chilling effect 10 Feb 2021 Dear MSP, We the undersigned have serious concerns about Part 2 of the Scottish Government’s Hate Crime and Public Order Bill, and increasingly so in light of recent parliamentary deliberations. Over the last year, there has been a robust debate about Part 2 of the bill, which outlines new offences on the stirring up of hatred. We all condemn crimes motivated by hatred and prejudice. The difficulty with this Bill, in its current form, is its potential to have a wider, negative effect on freedom of expression in Scotland.