The Japan Times - Arrest of comedy writer sparks UK free speech row

Irish writer Graham Linehan, who co-created popular 1990s sitcom "Father Ted", says he was arrested by five armed police at London's Heathrow Airport on Monday over gender-critical social media posts.

Nigel Farage, an ally of US President Donald Trump whose Reform Party is leading in the UK polls, said he would raise the case, and others, when he gives evidence to Congress on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.

"The Graham Linehan case is yet another example of the war on freedom in the UK," he said ahead of giving evidence to the House Judiciary Committee.

"Free speech is under assault, and I am urging the USA to be vigilant."

London's Metropolitan Police said a man was arrested on Monday, after arriving on a flight from the US, on suspicion of inciting violence in relation to posts on X.

"The arrest was made by officers from the MPS aviation unit," police said.

"It is routine for officers policing airports to carry firearms. These were not drawn or used at any point during the arrest."

- 'Totalitarianism' -

Linehan said the arrest related to three messages sent on X.

In one of the posts, Linehan said that "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 said.

Health minister Wes Streeting told the BBC's Today programme on Wednesday: "We want the police to focus on policing streets rather than tweets.

"If over the years with good intentions parliament has layered more and more expectation on the police and diluted the focus and priorities of the public, that is obviously something that we need to look at," he added.

The arrest once again focused attention on the UK's speech laws.

Harry Potter creator JK Rowling, who is also known for her gender-critical views, called Linehan's arrest "utterly deplorable" and "totalitarianism".

Tech billionaire and X owner Elon Musk said Britain was a "police state".

New UK Green Party leader Zack Polanski defended the arrest as "proportionate" given the content of the posts, but said he didn't know why the officers were armed.

Free speech has recently hit the headlines in the UK after hundreds of people were arrested for showing support for campaign group Palestine Action. It was banned as a terror group after its activists broke into a UK airbase and threw paint on planes.

US Vice President JD Vance has been particularly vocal about the issue, raising it with Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a White House meeting in February.

Linehan also co-created popular sitcoms "Black Books" and "The IT Crowd" which was awarded both Emmys and BAFTAs.

More recently, he has become known for his gender-critical views, which emerged after an episode he wrote was criticised as being transphobic.

He is due to appear in court in London on Thursday in another case, in which he is charged with harassment and criminal damage against a transgender person.

K.Inoue--JT