Free speech wins? London police to stop investigating social media posts that aren’t crimes

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - London police are making a big change to how they handle online speech after the arrest of comedy writer Graham Linehan in September 2025 over three posts on X. — Reuters file pic

LONDON, Oct 21 — London police said Monday they would stop investigating “non-crime hate incidents” after they were criticised for arresting a comedy writer over anti-transgender social media posts.

London’s police commissioner Mark Rowley called for greater clarity on handling offensive social media posts after Graham Linehan – writer of “Father Ted” and the “IT Crowd” – was detained after landing at Heathrow Airport in September over three posts on X.

At the time, the UK’s policing watchdog recommended authorities stop recording and investigating hate incidents that were not criminal offences.

London’s Metropolitan police said in a statement that Rowley “has been clear he doesn’t believe officers should be policing toxic culture war debates, with current laws and rules on inciting violence online leaving them in an impossible position”.

“As a result, the Met will no longer investigate non-crime hate incidents,” the Met spokesperson said, adding that the move would provide “clearer direction for officers” and allow them to focus on criminal probes.

The police statement added that such incidents would still be recorded, and officers would continue to probe and arrest those who commit hate crimes.

Prosecutors also announced on Monday they would take “no further action” against Linehan, 57, in relation to the September arrest, in which he was accused of inciting violence via his social media posts.

In one post he said: “if a trans-identified male is in a female-only space, he is committing a violent, abusive act.”

“Make a scene, call the cops and if all else fails, punch him in the balls,” he continued.

After prosecutors announced their decision to not probe the case further, the Irish writer said he would try to “hold the police accountable” for what he described as an “attempt to silence and suppress gender critical voices”.

‘Rock and a hard place’ 

His arrest was slammed by hard-right politician Nigel Farage and Harry Potter author JK Rowling, with tech billionaire and X owner Elon Musk also wading into the debate to call Britain a “police state”.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer also said police should focus on the “most serious issues”, with Rowley adding that from now on officers would only pursue social media posts “where there is a clear risk of harm or disorder”.

“Where there is ambiguity in terms of intent and harm, policing has been left between a rock and a hard place by successive governments who have given officers no choice but to record such incidents as crimes when they’re reported,” Rowley had said in September.

Linehan, who has been awarded an Emmy and several BAFTAs for his shows, appeared in court in September facing separate harassment charges over making “abusive and vindictive” posts against a transgender woman, which he denies.

Free speech has been the subject of fierce debate in Britain in recent months, with the government and police criticised for the arrests of hundreds of people who showed support for Palestine Action, which was proscribed this summer.

US politicians have been vocal about the issue, with Vice President JD Vance raising it with Starmer during a White House meeting in February. — AFP