Rise in Race Hate Crime in Scotland

The latest figures released by Police Scotland confirming a rise in hate crimes—particularly those with a racial aggravator—are deeply concerning, though sadly not surprising. At Show Racism the Red Card, we have witnessed a growing number of individuals and communities reporting racist abuse, harassment, and violence, both online and in public spaces.

The increase from 3,838 racial hate crimes in 2022 to 4,953 so far in 2024 is a stark reminder that racism remains a serious and widespread problem across Scotland. The fact that such abuse is also targeting emergency workers and linked to serious offences such as attempted murder and robbery further underlines the severity of the issue. We are also concerned about the rise in racism in Scottish schools with over 3,600 recorded racist incidents last year, a 50% increase. And we are all aware that the actual numbers will be a lot higher due to underreporting.

These shocking figures reflect the lived reality of many of the people we work with every day. They highlight the urgent need for continued anti-racism education, stronger community engagement and cohesion with meaningful action at all levels of society.

We urge anyone who witnesses or experiences racism to report it—speaking up is a vital step in challenging hate and creating safer communities for all.

Daily Record: New police figures show shock rise in hate crime in Scotland