Incitement to religious hatred is now a criminal offense in England and Wales.
The Racial and Religious Hatred Act creates a new category of offense, “intentionally stirring up religious hatred against people on religious grounds.” It closes a loophole in the existing legislation, according to the British Home Office, a goverment agency charged with protecting the public.
In response to the announcement by the Home Office, a spokesman for the Board of Deputies of British Jews said, “The Board of Deputies and the Community Security Trust note that the Jewish community has long been covered by the existing incitement to racial hatred provisions, but we welcome the additional protection afforded to others by the addition to the legislation.”
