Court Woman charged over ‘homophobic tweets’
FEMINIST activist Marion Millar appeared in court yesterday accused of posting homophobic and transphobic material on social media. The 50-yearold accountant, whose case has attracted international attention, made no plea at a bail hearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court. She is alleged to have behaved in a threatening or abusive manner.
Prosecutors say she repeatedly posted content on social media of a “homophobic and transphobic nature”. Ms Millar was granted bail.
FEMINIST activist Marion Millar appeared in court yesterday accused of posting homophobic and transphobic material on social media.
The 50-year-old accountant from Airdrie, whose case has attracted international attention, made no plea at a bail hearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
She is alleged to have behaved in a threatening or abusive manner between October 2020 and June 2021 within the Glasgow and Rutherglen area.
Prosecutors say she repeatedly posted content on social media of a “homophobic and transphobic nature”.
The complaint alleges she directed threatening or abusive behaviour at three people, including a police officer, via social media contrary to Section 38(1) of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010.
It is claimed she posted a photograph of a sign where a named Scots actor was working at the time, and wrote personal and false information relating to a female police constable online.
This was said to be aggravated by prejudice relating to sexual orientation and transgender identity.
Ms Millar is being defended by the SNP MP Joanna Cherry QC.
In court, Ms Cherry said: “I would like to go ahead to continue without a plea due to three reasons.
“The first is practical. Miss Millar only saw the complaint, with charges from the Crown, 10 minutes prior [to this hearing].
“The second is that the communication charges are not compatible with guidelines, so it’s not appropriate to plead with. The third is, it raised serious questions about Miss Millar’s European human rights.”
She asked for a date to be set for a further hearing.
Prosecutor Lesley Chambers said: “I have no objection to this.”
Sheriff Shona Mckie set a further hearing for October 4.
Miss Millar was granted bail.
After her appearance, one of Ms Millar’s supporters read out a statement on her behalf outside the court.
It said: “Today Marion Millar attended court and for the first time received a copy of the Crown’s complaint setting out the charges against her.
“She was represented by Joanna Cherry QC and Paul Harvey advocate instructed by Beltrami & Co solicitors. She made no plea and the case was continued for a hearing on 4th of October, so that the court can consider a number of preliminary legal issues, including the compatibility of this prosecution with Ms Millar’s human rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.
“Since this case is sub judice, Marion Millar will not be making any statements at this time.”
Ms Millar later tweeted she was “overwhelmed” by the support of messages she had received, adding: “I am struggling with today’s outcome and will need a little time to come to terms.”
Earlier, Ms Millar was cheered by scores of women chanting “Women won’t wheest” and “I stand with Marion Millar” as she and her legal team arrived at court.
Many wore clothes and waved flags in the purple, white and green of the suffragette movement, while the hashtag #Istandwithmarionmillar briefly trended on Twitter.
The TV comedy writer Graham Linehan, one of Ms Millar’s most prominent supporters, was also at the demonstration.
A supporter of sex-based rights for women who opposes transgender selfidentification, Ms Millar is seen by her critics as a trans-exclusionary radical feminist, or Terf.
The crowd outside court also chanted the definition of woman as “adult human female”.
Ms Millar has received messages of support from Canada, Spain, Italy, France, Finland and Japan, as well from around the UK.
One women-only group in the US’S Washington state filmed themselves chanting “Women Won’t Wheesht”.
Gender-critical feminists such as Ms Millar disagree with those LGBT activists who think gender identity should be prioritised over biological sex in government policy and the law.
The former fear the advance of transgender rights is at the expense of hard-won women’s rights, while the latter see the focus on biological sex as transphobic.
The For Women Scotland group, which also supports Ms Millar, plans a demonstrate outside Holyrood tomorrow against plans to reform gender recognition law to make it quicker and simpler for people to obtain a gender recognition certificate.
I am struggling with today’s outcome and will need a little time to come to terms