{"id":135295,"date":"2025-10-21T04:27:07","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T04:27:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/135295\/"},"modified":"2025-10-21T04:27:07","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T04:27:07","slug":"met-to-stop-investigating-non-crime-hate-incidents-after-linehan-probe-dropped","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/135295\/","title":{"rendered":"Met to stop investigating \u2018non-crime hate incidents\u2019 after Linehan probe dropped"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Metropolitan Police has announced that it will stop investigating \u201cnon-crime hate incidents\u201d after it emerged that Father Ted creator Graham Linehan will face no further action over social media posts about transgender issues.<\/p>\n

The 57-year-old Irish comedy writer was arrested at Heathrow Airport after flying in from Arizona in September by the Met Police on suspicion of inciting violence over three posts he had made on X.<\/p>\n

The arrest sparked controversy, with Conservative politicians and Harry Potter author JK Rowling among those who criticised the arrest.<\/p>\n

\n

The police have informed my lawyers that I face no further action in respect of the arrest at Heathrow in September. After a successful hearing to get my bail conditions lifted (one which the police officer in charge of the case didn’t even bother to attend) the Crown\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2014 Graham Linehan (@Glinner) October 20, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The head of the Met Police said at the time that officers are in \u201can impossible position\u201d when dealing with statements made online.<\/p>\n

Following Linehan\u2019s announcement on Monday that the probe into his posts has been dropped, a spokesperson for the police force said: \u201cWe understand the concern around this case.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe commissioner has been clear he doesn\u2019t believe officers should be policing toxic culture war debates, with current laws and rules on inciting violence online leaving them in an impossible position.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a result, the Met will no longer investigate non-crime hate incidents. We believe this will provide clearer direction for officers, reduce ambiguity and enable them to focus on matters that meet the threshold for criminal investigations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Non-crime hate incidents are incidents that do not count as crimes but are perceived to be motivated by hatred towards certain characteristics such as race or gender.<\/p>\n

\n We will continue to investigate and arrest those who commit hate crimes \u2013 allowing us to comply with statutory guidance while focusing our resources on criminality and public protection<\/p>\n

Metropolitan Police spokesperson\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Met spokesperson continued: \u201cThese incidents will still be recorded and used as valuable pieces of intelligence to establish potential patterns of behaviour or criminality.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will continue to investigate and arrest those who commit hate crimes \u2013 allowing us to comply with statutory guidance while focusing our resources on criminality and public protection.\u201d<\/p>\n

Linehan announced on social media on Monday afternoon that police had told his lawyers that he faces no further action over the Heathrow arrest.<\/p>\n

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) reviewed the evidence and concluded there was no realistic prospect of conviction, it is understood.<\/p>\n

A CPS spokesperson said: \u201cFollowing careful review of a file submitted by the Metropolitan Police, we have decided that no further action should be taken in relation to a man in his 50s who was arrested on September 1 2025.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\ud83d\udea8BREAKING: The @metpoliceuk<\/a> have dropped their investigation into Graham Linehan\u2019s tweets.<\/p>\n

After weeks of police bail \u2013 subject to unlawful conditions, including a ban on posting on X \u2013 officers have told @Glinner<\/a> that prosecutors say there isn\u2019t sufficient evidence to support\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2014 The Free Speech Union (@SpeechUnion) October 20, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Free Speech Union (FSU) said it has instructed lawyers to sue the Met Police for wrongful arrest.<\/p>\n

Linehan posted on X: \u201cWith the aid of the Free Speech Union, I still aim to hold the police accountable for what is only the latest attempt to silence and suppress gender-critical voices on behalf of dangerous and disturbed men.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the FSU said: \u201cPolice forces cannot continue to suppress lawful free speech without facing consequences.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve instructed a top flight team of lawyers to sue the Met for wrongful arrest, among other things.<\/p>\n

\u201cGraham deserves an apology but, more importantly, the police need to be taught a lesson that they cannot allow themselves to be continually manipulated by woke activists.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Met came under fire after Linehan\u2019s arrest, with Rowling claiming it was \u201ctotalitarianism\u201d and \u201cdeplorable\u201d.<\/p>\n

Conservative politicians also levelled criticism last month, with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch saying the arrest showed \u201cvalues of free speech are being slowly eroded by people weaponising the law and using it for petty squabbling\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"GrahamLinehan appeared at Westminster Magistrates\u2019 Court last month (Ben Whitley\/PA)<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Sir James Cleverly said the arrest looked like a \u201creal overreaction\u201d to what was \u201cself-evidently a joke\u201d and shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick described the incident as \u201ca complete waste of police time\u201d.<\/p>\n

But Green Party leader Zack Polanski told BBC Newsnight the posts were \u201ctotally unacceptable\u201d and the arrest seemed \u201cproportionate\u201d.<\/p>\n

One of the posts that Linehan was arrested over said: \u201cIf 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another was a photograph of a trans-rights protest, with the comment \u201ca photo you can smell\u201d, and a follow-up post saying: \u201cI hate them. Misogynists and homophobes. F*** em.\u201d<\/p>\n

The arrest came days before he appeared in court accused of harassing a transgender woman.<\/p>\n

The writer, who now lives in the United States, has denied one count of harassing activist Sophia Brooks on social media between October 11th and October 27th last year, and a further charge of criminal damage of their mobile phone on October 19th last year.<\/p>\n

The trial was adjourned and will resume on October 29th, with Linehan released on bail.<\/p>\n