AN anti-self-ID activist has interrupted a speech by Nicola Sturgeon at a charity event promoting the end of male violence against women.

The heckler shouted “shame on you” at the First Minister while stating that women had been raped “by males who have self-[identified] as women”.

It follows reports that discussion of gender recognition reform would be banned at the Edinburgh event run by Zero Tolerance.

The woman said her claims "had nothing to do with trans rights" and that she "supports trans rights".

Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who has been a harsh critic of Nicola Sturgeon's plans to reform the Gender Recognition Act, tweeted about the incident. 

She wrote: "Scenes. In spite of all careful precautions, the First Minister has been accidentally exposed to some freedom of speech. Heads will surely roll. (If nobody's yet sent that heckler a crate of whatever her favourite tipple is, do please send me her details.)"

It comes as the Scottish Government plans to make it easier for Scots to change their legal gender.

A bill is currently making its way through Holyrood which aims to shorten the time it takes to receive a gender recognition certificate, lower the age to get one from 18 to 16 and remove the requirement of a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria.

Rowling has fiercely advocated against the proposals and last month wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the words: “Nicola Sturgeon: Destroyer of women’s rights.”

Critics have accused the author of being transphobic for her views on the gender debate – something she denies.