BBC forced to issue apology to J.K. Rowling after famous author’s comments on free speech

(Daily Caller News Foundation) – The BBC apologized to “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling after incorrectly suggesting her comments on transgenderism could be a criminal offense.

On April 2, the BBC said that Rowling’s powerful public commentary on protecting women and girls in Great Britain from mentally ill men who think they’re women would soon become a criminal offense in Scotland. The small British nation is rapidly eradicating free speech thanks to the new Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, which makes “derogatory comments” about transgenders a so-called criminal offense, one that Rowling is more than happy to flout.

But the BBC issued a correction on their original claim after police said her posts are not criminal. “This was inaccurate and we should have referred to the Act creating a new crime where it is an offence if someone communicates material or behaves in a threatening or abusive manner with the intention of ‘stirring up hatred’ based on these protected characteristics.”

The outlet apologized “for any confusion caused and have reminded our teams of the important of accuracy in our output.” 

This is the third time the BBC has had to apologize for the way their reporters have covered Rowling and her views, according to Deadline. At least one of these instances included accusations of Rowling being transphobic without offering any challenge to the point, which apparently fell below the BBC’s editorial standards.