Now, a guide has been issued by Police Scotland on a “form of words” to recite when members of the public complain about the First Minister under his new hate crime laws, reports The Telegraph.

Yousaf had been making reference to his “own personal experience of racism” and that “nothing said in the speech was threatening, abusive or insulting.”

The guidance adds that when he had been referring to “white people”, he had been “pointing out a matter of fact.”

The guide said: “There was no malice or ill will towards any person or group displayed in anything said, and so it does not meet the threshold to be recorded as a non-crime hate incident.”

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Earlier this week, Police Scotland announced it had received 7,152 complaints under Scotland’s new hate crime law in the first week of operation, with 240 hate crimes and 30 non-crime hate incidents recorded.

The “vast majority” of these reports were anonymous, Police Scotland said in a statement and were assessed against the new legislation and “no further action is being taken.”

Scotland’s current Justice Secretary has said the number of hate crimes recorded by the Police Scotland in the first week of the new law shows the need for the legislation.

Angela Constance said: “So I think we can all take that reassurance from that because it is important when we look at the number of hate crimes recorded, 240 by Police Scotland in one week alone. I think that demonstrates that this legislation is indeed required and needed to protect marginalised and vulnerable communities most at risk of racial hatred and prejudice.”

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “We have received a number of complaints in relation to a speech in the Scottish Parliament on June 10 2020.

“Earlier complaints regarding this matter were assessed at the time and it was established no crime was committed and no further action was required.”