Protesters rallied outside the Scottish Parliament on Monday 1 April as the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill came into force.

The bill consolidates existing hate crime legislation and creates a new offense of inciting hatred against a protected characteristic.

Women have no legal protection; Scottish government says separate laws will tackle misogyny.

JK Rowling, a prominent critic of the Scottish government’s stance on transgender rights and legislation, appeared to challenge police to arrest her if her social media posts breached new laws.

“If what I write here constitutes a crime … I look forward to being arrested when I return to the birthplace of the Scottish Enlightenment,” Ms Rowling said.