Linehan, 57, was detained by five armed officers after flying in from Arizona and arrested on suspicion of inciting violence over posts on X published in April. The posts included language urging confrontation or physical violence against trans-identified individuals and derogatory comments about trans rights protesters. After police questioning his blood pressure rose to "stroke territory" and he was taken to hospital for observation, then released on bail. The Met Police confirmed the arrest at Heathrow on September 1 and said the man in his 50s was bailed pending further investigation. Linehan faces separate court charges of harassing a transgender woman and damaging her phone, which he denies.
Linehan said he was taken to a cell and then questioned over the X posts, published in April. One said: "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." Another was a photograph of a trans rights protest, with the comment "a photo you can smell", with a follow-up post saying: "I hate them. Misogynists and homophobes. F**k em."
The writer said after questioning by police his blood pressure had reached "stroke territory" and he was taken to hospital and kept under observation, before being released on bail. The Met Police did not identify Linehan but a spokeswoman said: "On Monday, September 1 at 1pm officers arrested a man at Heathrow Airport after he arrived on an inbound American Airlines flight. "The man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of inciting violence. This is in relation to posts on X.
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