Graham Linehan arrested over gender-critical social media posts

Graham Linehan, creator of Father Ted, was arrested by five armed police officers at Heathrow over three gender-critical social media posts.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed he was detained on suspicion of inciting violence under public order laws.

The 57-year-old was stopped after a flight from Arizona, questioned for several hours, and later taken to hospital after his blood pressure rose dangerously high.

He was released on bail with the condition that he refrain from using the social media platform.

A police officer, recorded during the arrest, told Linehan that one tweet was “deemed to be intended to stir up hatred or incite violence on the grounds of sexual orientation.”

The officer cited a post that allegedly encouraged violence against trans people.

In response to the arrest, Linehan announced legal action against the Met Police, supported by the Free Speech Union.

He claimed he was “treated like a terrorist for speaking his mind on social media,” and described the event as a “horrible glimpse of the dystopian clown show that Britain has become.”

His legal team is considering claims of wrongful arrest, unlawful detention, and breach of free speech, particularly the bail condition restricting his online activity.

They are also challenging a statement from the Met suggesting Linehan had incited violence.

The arrest has sparked widespread backlash.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesman reiterated the government’s view that police should prioritise “issues that matter most to our communities” such as knife crime and antisocial behaviour.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley called for urgent reform, saying officers should not be tasked with policing “toxic culture wars.”

Health Secretary Wes Streeting echoed the need for legal change, stating: “We want to see people being kept safe by policing streets, not just policing tweets.”

Public figures including JK Rowling and Elon Musk also condemned the arrest, with Musk calling it “totalitarianism” and labelling the UK a “police state.”

The case follows increasing criticism over Britain's free speech laws from across the Atlantic. Members of the US Congress have expressed concern over what they describe as a growing pattern of censorship and criminalisation of speech in the UK.

As Nigel Farage prepares to raise the issue in Washington, many are warning that the UK's reputation as a defender of civil liberties is now at risk.