Met to Stop Recording Non‑Crime Hate Incidents

Irish comedy writer Graham Linehan, arrested at Heathrow in September by armed officers over three social-media posts critical of transgender activists, will face no further action after the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case and his bail conditions were lifted. The arrest and CPS decision provoked widespread criticism from public figures including J.K. Rowling and Conservative politicians and reignited debate over free speech. Linehan, backed by the Free Speech Union, says he will sue the Metropolitan Police for wrongful arrest and seek accountability. In response, the Met announced it will stop recording or investigating non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs), saying officers should not police “toxic culture war debates” and that the change will allow it to refocus on violent and antisocial crime. Critics and lawmakers have said NCHIs consumed large amounts of police time and urged other forces to follow and for a review of how online speech and incitement are handled. The CPS said its review found insufficient grounds to proceed but left open the possibility of reconsideration if new evidence emerges.