THE prominent SNP MP Joanna Cherry QC has given her tacit support to a feminist campaigner charged with a "hate crime" over social media posts.

Ms Cherry, a former justice spokesperson at Westminster, retweeted a news story about Marion Millar, an Airdrie accountant who could face two years in jail if convicted.

Ms Cherry said she was drawing attention to the story “without comment” as proceedings were active.

However she went on: “I’m aware of the case & taking an interest as someone who is passionate about #CivilLiberties & #WomensRights.”

She added the hashtag “#WomenWontWheest”, which Ms Millar popularised and is used by her supporters.

Ms Millar, 50, was charged on Thursday with malicious communications after posting allegedly homophobic and transphobic material onlline in 2019 and 2020.

It is understood one tweet included a picture of a ribbon in the purple, white and green of the Suffragettes.

Ms Millar is a supporter of sex-based rights for women, and opposes simplifying transgender self-identification.

Her critics claim she is a trans-exclusionary radical feminist, or Terf.

After a two-hour interview at Coatbridge police station, Ms Millar, who has autistic twin boys, was bailed to appear to Glasgow Sheriff Court on July 20.

She has not been charged under the recent Hate Crime Act passed at Holyrood, but under a different law with a “hate crime aggravator”.

If, after receiving a report from the police, the Crown Office decide to prosecute Ms Millar, it promises to be a “cause célèbre” because of her national and international supporters.  

READ MORE: Feminist campaigner charged with 'hate crime'

The respected American legal analyst and attorney Jonathan Turley, the Shapiro Chair of Public interest Law at George Washington University, added his voice today.

He said on his blog Ms Millar’s case was part of a “free speech fight brewing in Scotland”.

He wrote: “The effort by some to criminally charge advocates [of free speech] like Millar is to silence rather than to respond to opposing viewpoints. 

“Such speech limitations tend to grow with time. Once groups taste the ability to silence others, it becomes an insatiable appetite for censorship and criminalization of speech.”

Ms Millar today locked her Twitter account to exclude new followers “due to abuse”.

She said: “I want to say thank you for all of your support, kind words and love. Yesterday I was arrested and charged, I had my DNA, fingerprints and pictures taken. 

“I was then released on police bail with conditions

“I can confirm it was 2 separate complaints, however, I can't confirm who these people are.  

“I do not want to end up in prison until the 20th of July.

“I can't express in words how traumatic this time is for me just now, however, it won't stop me tweeting or talking about everything that is important to me. 

“About women's rights, children's safeguarding and the political state of our country.” 

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.