Comedian’s arrest over social media posts sparks warning for Americans

(NewsNation) — A member of Parliament warned U.S. legislators Wednesday that Americans could face arrest in the United Kingdom for what they post on social media, under a new British law that has received wide attention this week.

Comments in Washington by Nigel Farage, leader of the conservative Reform UK party, come amid fresh scrutiny of Britain’s Online Safety Act, which, among other things, makes it illegal to incite violence through internet posts.

Even some supporters of the measure seem to be questioning the enforcement side after Irish comedian Graham Linehan was arrested Monday at Heathrow Airport for social media posts about transgender people.

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“He’s not even a British citizen. He’s an Irish citizen,” Farage, referring to Linehan, told the House Judiciary Committee. “This could happen to any American man or woman that goes to Heathrow, that has said things online that the British government and British police don’t like.”

In a series of posts on X last April, Linehan said trans women were violent criminals if they used women-only facilities. He advocated physically assaulting them if calling police and other measures failed to stop them.

Linehan said police took him into custody for what he says were jokes, an experience that caused his blood pressure to spike.

Police confirmed they arrested a man on suspicion of inciting violence but did not identify him.

London’s top police official, Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, on Wednesday defended his police officers but said authorities would benefit from greater direction on enforcement.

“I don’t believe we should be policing toxic culture wars debates and officers are currently in an impossible position,” Rowley said in a statement, the BBC reported.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, meanwhile, said police should “focus on the most serious issues” when he was asked about the controversy.

Farage reportedly was in Washington at the invitation of House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, for a hearing entitled “Europe’s Threat to American Speech and Innovation.”

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