London Police end probes into ‘Non-Crime Hate’ incidents

London’s Metropolitan Police have announced they will stop investigating so-called “non-crime hate incidents” following public outrage over the arrest of comedy writer Graham Linehan for his anti-transgender social media posts.

Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said on Monday that officers would no longer police “toxic culture war debates,” arguing that current online hate laws had put them “in an impossible position.”

Linehan, the creator of popular sitcoms Father Ted and The IT Crowd, was detained at Heathrow Airport in September over three posts on X. Prosecutors have since dropped the case, stating there would be “no further action” against the 57-year-old, who was accused of inciting violence through his online comments.

In one of the posts, Linehan had written: “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.”

The Irish writer reacted to the development by pledging to “hold the police accountable” for what he described as an “attempt to silence and suppress gender critical voices.”

Rowley’s decision to end such investigations comes after the UK’s policing watchdog urged authorities to stop recording hate incidents that are not criminal offences. The police said they would still record such incidents but will only pursue social media posts that pose a “clear risk of harm or disorder.”

The arrest sparked a major backlash from public figures, including politician Nigel Farage, author JK Rowling, and X owner Elon Musk, who described Britain as a “police state.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer also weighed in, urging police to focus on “the most serious issues.”

Linehan, a multiple BAFTA and Emmy award winner, is still facing separate harassment charges for allegedly posting “abusive and vindictive” comments against a transgender woman — allegations he denies.

The controversy has reignited debates around free speech in the UK, particularly as hundreds have been arrested for supporting the banned group Palestine Action. The issue has even drawn attention from the United States, with Vice President JD Vance reportedly raising it with Starmer during a White House meeting in February.