Metropolitan Police May Have Unfairly Arrested Linehan Over Gender Critical Views, Says Watchdog

Graham Linehan, the Father Ted creator, may have been unfairly arrested by the Metropolitan Police because of his gender-critical views, the police watchdog has said. The Telegraph has the story.

The creator of Father Ted was detained and questioned by Met officers at Heathrow airport in September last year in connection with anti-transgender comments he posted on social media.

Linehan lodged a complaint with the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which argued his arrest was unlawful and an abuse of his freedom of expression rights under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

After an internal review of the case, Scotland Yard admitted his detention had been unacceptable and issued an unreserved apology. However, no officers were disciplined.

The IOPC has concluded that the Met’s review did not go far enough, and described its findings as “not reasonable and proportionate”.

The Met has been ordered to reinvestigate Linehan’s complaints after the IOPC said he may have been unfairly treated because of his gender-critical views.

It pointed to a legal ruling that found anti-trans views could be considered to be a “protected characteristic”.

In the IOPC findings, seen by the Telegraph, the watchdog said if “the force cannot establish sound rationale concerning the legality of the arrest, the application of Article 10 and the reasons justifying bail conditions, then there may be sufficient evidence pointing towards a conclusion that Mr Linehan received unfair treatment (including in interview) due to his potential protected characteristic”.

The 57 year-old comedian, who now lives in Arizona, was detained at Heathrow airport by five armed officers because of comments he had posted on X, the social media platform, six months earlier.

In one post, he wrote: “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.”

In another, he posted a picture of what appeared to be a trans rights demonstration with the caption: “A photo you can smell.”

He followed that post with the comment: “I hate them. Misogynists and homophobes. F— ’em.”

Lynsay Watson, a transgender former police officer, reported him to the police for a hate crime and inciting violence.

Linehan complained to the IOPC that his arrest had been unlawful because the police had failed to take into account Watson’s background.

He also pointed out that the alleged offence of inciting violence against transgender people does not exist under the Public Order Act 1986.

Worth reading in full.