Hate crimes recorded by the police in Scotland, 2024-25

Number of hate crimes

In 2024-25, the police recorded 8,538 hate crimes in Scotland.

The number of hate crimes recorded per 10,000 of the population was highest in Glasgow City and City of Edinburgh local authority areas (32 and 25 crimes per 10,000 population respectively)^[2] . The Na h-Eileanan Siar, Shetland Islands and Aberdeenshire local authority areas had the lowest rates. (Table 2)

As noted above, Glasgow City and City of Edinburgh local authority areas have the highest number of hate crimes recorded per 10,000 population. Whilst these two areas collectively accounted for 21% of Scotland’s population in 2024 (the latest available data), they accounted for 3,412 (or 40.0%) of all hate crimes recorded by Police Scotland in 2024-25. This could, at least in part, relate to the relatively higher level of ethnic diversity present within these two areas (the majority (62%) of associated hate crimes included a race aggravation – see Table 3). The 2022 Scottish Census reported that Glasgow City and the City of Edinburgh local authority areas have 19.3% and 15.1%, respectively, of their population comprised of non-white ethnic groups, compared to the Scottish average of 7.1%. Other factors that may lead to the relatively higher number of recorded hate crimes within these two local authorities include the presence of a large night-time economy, and a large daily influx of visitors, workers and tourists. They are also more frequently used as the location for large scale events and the holding of demonstrations.

Hate crimes by aggravator

For the purposes of this analysis, we have included any crime where the specific aggravator being measured (such as race, sexual orientation etc.) has been assigned to the record . As such, any crime with multiple aggravators will be included in the figures for each of the aggravators associated with it. For example, if a crime was aggravated by race and sexual orientation, it will be included in the total number of crimes with a race aggravator and in the total number of crimes with a sexual orientation aggravator. This means the total number of crimes for each aggravator will sum to more than the total number of recorded hate crimes in Scotland.

In 2024-25, over three-fifths (62%) of hate crimes included a race aggravator. Just under a quarter (24%) included a sexual orientation aggravator, and just over one in ten (12%) had a disability aggravator. Hate crimes with a religion aggravator made up 7% of all recorded, whilst those with a transgender identity aggravator made up 2%. The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 introduced two new protected characteristics, of age and variation in sex characteristics. Hate crimes aggravated by age and variation in sex characteristics made up less than 1% of all hate crimes each. (Table 3)

As noted above, any individual crime can include multiple aggravators. In 2024-25, 7% of hate crimes included more than one aggravator.

Hate crimes by crime type

In 2024-25, three crime types accounted for 82% of all hate crimes. Threatening or abusive behaviour accounted for almost half of all hate crimes (48%), this was followed by Racially aggravated conduct (20%) and Common Assault (14%). (Table 4)

The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 introduced new offences of ‘stirring up hatred’ which criminalises threatening or abusive behaviour and the communication of threatening or abusive material which is intended to stir up hatred against a group of people by reason of their possessing, or appearing to possess any of the protected characteristics. In 2024-25 there were 50 crimes of stirring up racial hatred and 17 crimes of stirring up hatred based on the other protected characteristics.

Type of hate crime by hate aggravator

For each of the different aggravators ‘Threatening or abusive behaviour’ was the most common hate crime recorded. For all aggravators except race and transgender identity, ‘Threatening or abusive behaviour’ made up the majority of crimes, ranging from 54% of religion aggravated hate crimes up to 83% of age and variation in sex characteristics aggravated hate crimes. For race aggravated hate crimes, 35% were ‘Threatening or abusive behaviour’ and for transgender identity 47% were. (Table 5)

In most other cases, all other crime types only made up a small proportion of recorded hate crimes.

Additionally, as might be expected, a relatively high proportion of crimes recorded with a race aggravator were ‘Racially aggravated conduct’ or ‘Racially aggravated harassment’ (collectively 32%). This is because these are standalone offences relating to racially aggravated behaviour, whereas there are no equivalent standalone offences relating to the other strands. There was a correspondingly lower proportion of ‘Threatening or abusive behaviour’ offences recorded for crimes with a racial aggravator. Again, this would be expected as the offence of ‘Racially aggravated conduct’ is similar to the offence of ‘Threatening or abusive behaviour’^[3].

For the new offence of Stirring up hatred: other, the majority of these offences (88% or 15 crimes) had a religion aggravator. Of these, the most common prejudice shown was against the Jewish community (8 crimes).