JK Rowling has called Scotland’s new hate crime laws ‘ludicrous’, as she vowed not to delete social media posts describing a transgender TV presenter as ‘just a man’.

The Harry Potter author was cleared of any wrongdoing by police in England earlier this month over an online post about broadcaster India Willoughby, who complained she had been ‘misgendered’.

But Ms Rowling has now been targeted by activists who claim she could be prosecuted under the controversial new Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act, due to be introduced on April 1.

The 58-year-old wrote on X that she would not be taking down any of her posts about Ms Willoughby.

She said: ‘If you genuinely imagine I’d delete posts calling a man a man, so as not to be prosecuted under this ludicrous law, stand by for the mother of all April Fools’ jokes.’

JK Rowling has called Scotland’s new hate crime laws ‘ludicrous’, as she vowed not to delete social media posts describing a transgender TV presenter as ‘just a man’

The author was cleared of any wrongdoing by police in England over an online post about broadcaster India Willoughby (pictured), who complained she had been ‘misgendered’

Ms Rowling targeted by activists who claim she could be prosecuted under the controversial new Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act (Pictured: Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood)

Ms Rowling was responding to a post from a user claiming to be a British lawyer who wrote: ‘Delete the posts about India Willoughby as they most likely contravene the new law. Start deleting!’

Supporters of Ms Rowling praised her for ‘standing up against the woke mob’.

And feminist group For Women Scotland wrote: ‘Not sure anyone claiming to be a lawyer should be posting misleading info.’

Police Scotland has indicated that only incidents after April 1 will be investigated under the new law, meaning Ms Rowling would not face retrospective action.