Europe UK (Commonwealth Union) – Police in Scotland are conducting investigations into death threats made to the author of Harry Potter, JK Rowling. A spokesperson for the Police in Scotland said “We can confirm that we have received a report of online threats being made. Officers are carrying out enquiries.”
The increasingly contentious issue on defining gender has seen intense division between women’s groups advocating safe space women and trans activists. The British government recently blocked a controversial gender law that could permit individuals as young as 16 legally change their gender.
JK Rowling who had actively expressed her views opposing the recent Scottish law had earned both supporters and opponents. In spite Ms. Rowling simply expressing her opinions in a non-violent manner she received threats of violence from a man who had tweeted ‘kill her with hammer.’ The majority of Ms. Rowling’s supporters have highlighted the extreme intolerance towards free speech and where simply holding a non-violent opinion can either get you cancelled or face extreme threats.
Ms. Rowling who described an individual with a Gaelic voice threatening her, expressed her views in a tweet “The charmer who’s been publicly advocating for a car to be driven into Posie Parker’s rally, who’s posted recordings of himself saying he wants to kill Rosie Duffield with a gun and me with a hammer, appears to have been identified. Social media’s fun til it isn’t, eh, brave boy?”
A recent rally that was held to oppose the British government blocking the Scottish gender law saw rally attendants hold banners further demonstrating more threatening banners which were highlighted in another tweet made by Ms. Rowling who indicated that progressive politicians posing proudly alongside banners suggesting women to be decapitated and eaten.
In spite these threats of violence being from a minority of trans activists, the supporters of JK Rowling have further emphasized that simply having an opinion on an issue no longer permits discussion or debate without being cancelled or threatened.
