§ Baroness Ludfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
What capacity there is under existing legislation to take action against those who incite hatred against religious groups, particularly with reference to the Public Order Act 1986. [HL1235]
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Rooker)While it is an offence to incite another to commit an offence, "religious hatred" in itself, like "racial hatred", is not an offence. That is why Part III of the Public Order Act 1986 contains specific incitement to racial hatred provisions. In this context "racial hatred" is defined as hatred against a group of persons in Great Britain defined by reference to colour, race, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins. Under this definition the courts have ruled that Jews and Sikhs can be deemed "racial groups", by virtue of a specific ethnic identity, but that Muslims and Christians, for example, cannot. As part of the Anti-Terrorist, Crime and Security Bill introduced earlier this week, we have proposed expanding incitement to racial hatred to cover religious hatred, to protect everyone from religious hatred and harassment.