Arrest of Father Ted creator Graham Linehan over trans posts condemned

By Margaret Davis and Christopher McKeon, PA

Opposition politicians in the UK have criticised the arrest of Graham Linehan after the Father Ted writer was detained over social media posts about trans people.

The 57-year-old said he had been detained by five armed officers at Heathrow Airport after flying in from Arizona, and told he was under arrest over three posts on X.

Conservative MPs described it as “ridiculous” and accused the police of “arresting people for making jokes”.

Author and campaigner JK Rowling claimed the arrest was “totalitarianism” and “deplorable”.

Downing Street declined to comment directly on the arrest, saying it was “an operational matter for the police”, but added the UK Prime Minister and Home Secretary had made their priorities for policing “clear”.

Linehan said he was taken to a cell and 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*** em.”

The writer said that after being questioned 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 Metropolitan Police did not identify Linehan, but a spokeswoman said officers had arrested a man on Monday “on suspicion of inciting violence” and that the arrest was “in relation to posts on X”.

She added that it was “routine” for officers policing airports to be armed, and that their firearms “were not drawn or used at any point during the arrest”.

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick described the incident as “ridiculous and a complete waste of police time”.

In a post on X, he said: “The police only respond to 1 in 5 reported shoplifting offences, but deploy 5 armed officers to arrest a comedian over three tweets.

“We desperately need to end this nonsense and go after actual criminals.”

Fellow shadow cabinet minister Claire Coutinho said: “Britain used to be known for its sense of humour. Now the police are arresting people for making jokes.

“You live in a society? Occasionally you’re going to be offended. That’s how it works.”

Labour backbencher Jonathan Hinder said the arrest showed the need for a “serious reset to get the priorities right” in policing, while Independent MP Rupert Lowe said: “I stand with Linehan.”

Rowling tweeted: “What the f*** has the UK become? This is totalitarianism. Utterly deplorable.”

The UK Prime Minister’s official spokesman said the arrest was “an operational matter for the police”, adding: “The Prime Minister and the Home Secretary have been clear about where their priorities for crime and policing are, and that’s tackling anti-social behaviour, shoplifting, street crime, as well as reducing serious violent crimes like knife crime and violence against women.”

He also rejected Ms Rowling’s claim that the UK was engaging in “totalitarianism”.

A Met 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.

“After being taken to police custody, officers became concerned for his health and he was taken to hospital. His condition is neither life-threatening nor life-changing.

“He has now been bailed pending further investigation.

“The arrest was made by officers from the MPS Aviation Unit.

“It is routine for officers policing airports to carry firearms. These were not drawn or used at any point during the arrest.”

Separately, Linehan is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday accused of harassing transgender woman Sophia Brooks and damaging her phone, which he denies.