"The Metropolitan Police appear to have dropped a bail condition that prevented Graham Linehan using X/Twitter. The gender-critical pundit was instructed not to use the social media site after he was arrested by armed police at Heathrow airport on 1 September. The Met police confirmed that a man in his fifties was questioned on suspicion of "inciting violence" through his social media posts. PinkNews reported that, as part of his bail conditions, Linehan was instructed not to post on X, pending further investigation."
"Just days later, the Father Ted co-creator appeared to have violated the condition by thanking a supportive X user in a reply posted at 11.44 pm on Thursday (4 September). Police refused to comment after being asked whether that constituted a violation of the bail conditions. Under the 1976 Bail Act, the police do not need a warrant to arrest anyone suspected of violating pre-charge bail. Anyone found guilty can be jailed for up to 12 months."
"Claims that the bail condition had been waived came after Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley commented on Linehan's arrest, saying officers should not be "policing toxic culture-war debates". In a statement on Wednesday (3 September), the man known as the country's top cop said he had made suggestions to the Home Office on "where the law and policy should be clarified," claiming there was "ambiguity in terms of intent and harm" in what he described as "lesser cases"."
Graham Linehan was arrested by armed police at Heathrow on 1 September and was reportedly instructed not to use X/Twitter as part of his bail. The Met confirmed a man in his fifties was questioned on suspicion of "inciting violence" via social media posts. Linehan appeared to reply to a supportive X user several days later, and police declined to say whether that reply breached bail. Under the 1976 Bail Act, arrest without a warrant is permitted for suspected breaches of pre-charge bail, with guilty parties facing up to 12 months in prison. Linehan later said the condition was removed after discussions involving his lawyers, the Free Speech Union and the Met, while police declined to explain timing or reasons.
Read at PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news
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