Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.
The United Kingdom is coming under some criticism after the arrest of a comedian over social media posts about transgender individuals.
Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, comedian Graham Linehan, best known for creating the British sitcoms Father Ted and The IT Crowd, was arrested at Heathrow Airport after three social media posts he made on X in April. According to police, they were made to incite violence against transgender people. In one of the posts, Linehan described the presence of trans women in female-only spaces as a “violent, abusive act” and urged people to “make a scene, call the cops, and if all else fails, punch him in the balls.” He was arrested under the Public Order Act on suspicion of inciting violence against a protected group.
Getting into it: Linehan’s arrest has triggered a wave of criticism both within the UK and internationally, with many questioning whether it marks a dangerous precedent for free speech in society. Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded, saying, “We must ensure the police focus on the most serious issues.” At the same time, Health Secretary Wes Streeting remarked that ministers “want the police to focus on policing streets rather than tweets,” and urged a review of the legislation involved. Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch was more forceful in her criticism, stating, “Sending five officers to arrest a man for a tweet isn’t policing, it’s politics.”
Labour peer and former Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti added that while “inciting violence must always be a crime,” current laws around speech and public order are “too broad” and in need of a comprehensive review.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also denounced the arrest before the US House Judiciary Committee, warning, “Free speech is under assault and I am urging the USA to be vigilant.”
US Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) called the arrest “an offense to anyone who supports free speech,” comparing it to historic literary censorship: “I guess the UK has not learned from the time prosecutors read passages of The Picture of Dorian Gray to convict Oscar Wilde.”
