LONDON: London police said Monday they would stop investigating “non-crime hate incidents” after they were criticized 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 offenses.
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.
