Susan Shaw, Director of For Women Scotland, has received confirmation from Police Scotland that she will not face criminal charges or a Police Recorded Warning following a dispute with a trans activist outside Holyrood.
This represents a significant victory – for Susan, for free speech in Scotland, for women’s right to be heard, and for common sense.
In response to the announcement, Susan Shaw said:
I am relieved to be able to draw a line under this episode, and I am incredibly grateful to the Free Speech Union and my lawyer, Neil Hay, for their unwavering support. This has highlighted how intimidating and frightening such proceedings can be for individuals who do not have access to the same level of legal, political, and public support that I was fortunate to receive.
While I am delighted that Police Scotland have dropped this case, it is deeply concerning that an individual who attended our rally with the express intent of disrupting it and drowning out our speakers was taken seriously — particularly when credible threats to women are so often overlooked.
I can now refocus on the essential work of FWS. We will continue to challenge the reluctance of Government, public bodies, and third-sector organisations to comply with the law, as clarified by our Supreme Court victory in April, and ensure that women’s rights are respected and our voices are heard.
While the decision by Police Scotland is welcome, it is troubling that an unfounded complaint from a trans activist received official attention.
Tom Harlow, the activist in question, arrived at the rally intending to disrupt it. He used a large portable sound system to drown out the voices of women’s rights campaigners, including democratically elected MSPs. When asked to lower the volume, he repeatedly jutted an already broken umbrella toward Susan’s face. He then filed a complaint alleging that Susan had “intimidated” and “harassed” him – a claim both ironic and unfounded.
This is not the first time that police have appeared to acquiesce to increasingly militant trans activist groups. Yet the decision to drop the case may mark a turning point. Police Scotland have invited Susan to a meeting to discuss her case and the broader issues it involves, including the need for women to feel protected under the law.
The role of the police is to enforce the law, not act as the personal enforcers of activist agendas. From the outset, the Free Speech Union has stood behind Susan, prepared to provide criminal defence support had charges been pressed.
This outcome is a victory for common sense and free speech. Police Scotland must take this episode as a clear signal to uphold the law fairly, without bias, and to ensure that legitimate voices are never silenced by intimidation or vexatious complaints.