Sir Mark Rowley, the head of the Metropolitan Police (which polices
London) has pushed back against the use of the police to deal with
offensive tweets in the wake of the arrest of comedy writer Graham
Linehan (best known for creating the Father Ted sitcom). Linehan was >arrested at Heathrow Airport by 5 armed police (most police in the UK
are NOT armed) upon arriving from a trip to the US.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/sep/03/met-police-chief-calls-for-review-of-law-after-graham-linehan-arrest
Even Prime Minister Keir Starmer is objecting to the arrest of Linehan >according to this video clip from a British morning show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqDxAhLtY9U [8 minutes]
I think the government and senior leaders of the institutions are
*FINALLY* starting to wake up and realize how excessive they've been in >policing free speech. At least I *want* to believe that.
Then again, knowing how politicians do what they do, I am fully prepared
to believe that Rowley and Starmer are merely trying to save face by >*pretending* to be aghast at what has happened. They'll confer behind
close doors, issue a vague and half-hearted statement about what will
sound like changes to their enforcement policies and then go on pretty
much as they have been doing.
Clearly, we'll have to let this play out and see if anything substantive >will actually be done. I'm not holding my breath but I would be
delighted if they actually restore freedom of speech in the UK.
London) has pushed back against the use of the police to deal with >offensive tweets in the wake of the arrest of comedy writer Graham
Linehan (best known for creating the Father Ted sitcom). Linehan was >arrested at Heathrow Airport by 5 armed police (most police in the UK
are NOT armed) upon arriving from a trip to the US.
Sir Mark Rowley, the head of the Metropolitan Police (which polices
London) has pushed back against the use of the police to deal with
offensive tweets in the wake of the arrest of comedy writer Graham
Linehan (best known for creating the Father Ted sitcom). Linehan was arrested at Heathrow Airport by 5 armed police (most police in the UK
are NOT armed) upon arriving from a trip to the US.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/sep/03/met-police-chief-calls-for-review-of-law-after-graham-linehan-arrest
Even Prime Minister Keir Starmer is objecting to the arrest of Linehan according to this video clip from a British morning show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqDxAhLtY9U [8 minutes]
I think the government and senior leaders of the institutions are
*FINALLY* starting to wake up and realize how excessive they've been in policing free speech. At least I *want* to believe that.
Then again, knowing how politicians do what they do, I am fully prepared
to believe that Rowley and Starmer are merely trying to save face by *pretending* to be aghast at what has happened. They'll confer behind
close doors, issue a vague and half-hearted statement about what will
sound like changes to their enforcement policies and then go on pretty
much as they have been doing.
Clearly, we'll have to let this play out and see if anything substantive will actually be done. I'm not holding my breath but I would be
delighted if they actually restore freedom of speech in the UK.
ahk@chinet.com deliver unto us this message:
London) has pushed back against the use of the police to deal with >>>offensive tweets in the wake of the arrest of comedy writer Graham >>>Linehan (best known for creating the Father Ted sitcom). Linehan was >>>arrested at Heathrow Airport by 5 armed police (most police in the UK >>>are NOT armed) upon arriving from a trip to the US.
Good lord. I really thought things were loosening up over there, after
the Tavistock leaks and the full report.
I guess the good news is that the commissioner seems to understand that
this is bad and is just claiming his hands are tied by the law. I'm sure >they have discretion in real life, but I do like that he's not doubling
down on the absurd claim that telling the truth incites violence.
The police are being misused to suppress speech.
On Sep 3, 2025 at 6:29:56 AM PDT, "Rhino" <no_offline_contact@example.com> wrote:
Sir Mark Rowley, the head of the Metropolitan Police (which polices
London) has pushed back against the use of the police to deal with
offensive tweets in the wake of the arrest of comedy writer Graham
Linehan (best known for creating the Father Ted sitcom). Linehan was
arrested at Heathrow Airport by 5 armed police (most police in the UK
are NOT armed) upon arriving from a trip to the US.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/sep/03/met-police-chief-calls-for-review-of-law-after-graham-linehan-arrest
Even Prime Minister Keir Starmer is objecting to the arrest of Linehan
according to this video clip from a British morning show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqDxAhLtY9U [8 minutes]
I think the government and senior leaders of the institutions are
*FINALLY* starting to wake up and realize how excessive they've been in
policing free speech. At least I *want* to believe that.
Then again, knowing how politicians do what they do, I am fully prepared
to believe that Rowley and Starmer are merely trying to save face by
*pretending* to be aghast at what has happened. They'll confer behind
close doors, issue a vague and half-hearted statement about what will
sound like changes to their enforcement policies and then go on pretty
much as they have been doing.
Clearly, we'll have to let this play out and see if anything substantive
will actually be done. I'm not holding my breath but I would be
delighted if they actually restore freedom of speech in the UK.
Not so fast! The cops are going after kids now if they're caught showing too much patriotism.
https://x.com/TRobinsonNewEra/status/1963177418337796545
Rhino <no_offline_contact@example.com> wrote:
Sir Mark Rowley, the head of the Metropolitan Police (which polices
London) has pushed back against the use of the police to deal with
offensive tweets in the wake of the arrest of comedy writer Graham
Linehan (best known for creating the Father Ted sitcom). Linehan was
arrested at Heathrow Airport by 5 armed police (most police in the UK
are NOT armed) upon arriving from a trip to the US.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/sep/03/met-police-chief-calls-for-review-of-law-after-graham-linehan-arrest
Even Prime Minister Keir Starmer is objecting to the arrest of Linehan
according to this video clip from a British morning show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqDxAhLtY9U [8 minutes]
I think the government and senior leaders of the institutions are
*FINALLY* starting to wake up and realize how excessive they've been in
policing free speech. At least I *want* to believe that.
His statement is too weak to believe that.
.The Met commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, said on Wednesday
.officers should not be "policing toxic culture wars debates",
.and while any review took place, officers would investigate only
.more serious cases concerning online messages.
.Rowley said "policing has been left between a rock and a hard
.place by successive governments".
.The new Met statement followed a largely hostile reaction to the
.arrest of Linehan on Monday as he arrived at Heathrow airport on
.a flight from the US.
He failed to say that police priorities should be investigating crimes against persons and crimes against property. He failed to say that the
laws in question should be repealed. He did say police would investigate
more serious cases without telling us what the fuck he meant by it.
Unless there's a threat, unless there's incitement to commit violence or
a property crime, there's nothing to police in a free society.
"That's not funny!" is not a matter for the police.
All he's saying is, "I'm only sorry because we provoked a negative
reaction." We've discussed again and again that working-class people
have gotten arrested for expressing frustration without even making
threats, that there have been arrests for criticizing police for failure
to investigate crime, etc. All of these people were sympathetic, just
not in the public eye.
Then again, knowing how politicians do what they do, I am fully prepared
to believe that Rowley and Starmer are merely trying to save face by
*pretending* to be aghast at what has happened. They'll confer behind
close doors, issue a vague and half-hearted statement about what will
sound like changes to their enforcement policies and then go on pretty
much as they have been doing.
Yes. There was no committment toward a liberal society.
--Clearly, we'll have to let this play out and see if anything substantive
will actually be done. I'm not holding my breath but I would be
delighted if they actually restore freedom of speech in the UK.
"Let this play out" is all we can do as we are separated by a vast
ocean.
Verily, in article <1099pj7$182qb$1@dont-email.me>, did ahk@chinet.com deliver unto us this message:
London) has pushed back against the use of the police to deal with
offensive tweets in the wake of the arrest of comedy writer Graham
Linehan (best known for creating the Father Ted sitcom). Linehan was
arrested at Heathrow Airport by 5 armed police (most police in the UK
are NOT armed) upon arriving from a trip to the US.
Good lord. I really thought things were loosening up over there, after
the Tavistock leaks and the full report.
I guess the good news is that the commissioner seems to understand that
this is bad and is just claiming his hands are tied by the law. I'm sure
they have discretion in real life, but I do like that he's not doubling
down on the absurd claim that telling the truth incites violence.
On 2025-09-03 1:04 PM, BTR1701 wrote:
On Sep 3, 2025 at 6:29:56 AM PDT, "Rhino" <no_offline_contact@example.com> >> wrote:This is obviously massively wrong, no question about it. But I'm going
Sir Mark Rowley, the head of the Metropolitan Police (which polices
London) has pushed back against the use of the police to deal with
offensive tweets in the wake of the arrest of comedy writer Graham
Linehan (best known for creating the Father Ted sitcom). Linehan was
arrested at Heathrow Airport by 5 armed police (most police in the UK
are NOT armed) upon arriving from a trip to the US.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/sep/03/met-police-chief-calls-for-review-of-law-after-graham-linehan-arrest
Even Prime Minister Keir Starmer is objecting to the arrest of Linehan
according to this video clip from a British morning show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqDxAhLtY9U [8 minutes]
I think the government and senior leaders of the institutions are
*FINALLY* starting to wake up and realize how excessive they've been in >>> policing free speech. At least I *want* to believe that.
Then again, knowing how politicians do what they do, I am fully prepared >>> to believe that Rowley and Starmer are merely trying to save face by
*pretending* to be aghast at what has happened. They'll confer behind
close doors, issue a vague and half-hearted statement about what will
sound like changes to their enforcement policies and then go on pretty
much as they have been doing.
Clearly, we'll have to let this play out and see if anything substantive >>> will actually be done. I'm not holding my breath but I would be
delighted if they actually restore freedom of speech in the UK.
Not so fast! The cops are going after kids now if they're caught showing too
much patriotism.
https://x.com/TRobinsonNewEra/status/1963177418337796545
to cut them a bit of slack here. I think it's clear that authority
trickles down from on high and the cops on the street are only following whatever policies their bosses have enunciated.
The Great Ship of State
can't turn on a dime, even if it wants to, so if the head of the Metropolitan Police is only now just starting to push back a little,
it's going to take a minute for a new policing strategy to be developed
and then communicated to the lower ranks. In the meantime, the rank and
file are going to follow their existing policies.
Of course I may just be naive in thinking Rowley or Keir Starmer are
even slightly sincere in thinking things have gone too far. I'm cynical enough to doubt that the scales fell off both men's eyes and they now
see sense due to a single incident. But maybe, just maybe, there is a smidgen of truth to the idea that they see things have gone too far and
will work to dial back the police overreach - and the two tier policing!
- to restore some freedom to their country. A guy can dream can't he?
On Sep 3, 2025 at 12:14:17 PM PDT, "Rhino" <no_offline_contact@example.com> wrote:
On 2025-09-03 1:04 PM, BTR1701 wrote:
On Sep 3, 2025 at 6:29:56 AM PDT, "Rhino" <no_offline_contact@example.com>This is obviously massively wrong, no question about it. But I'm going
wrote:
Sir Mark Rowley, the head of the Metropolitan Police (which polices
London) has pushed back against the use of the police to deal with
offensive tweets in the wake of the arrest of comedy writer Graham
Linehan (best known for creating the Father Ted sitcom). Linehan was >>>> arrested at Heathrow Airport by 5 armed police (most police in the UK >>>> are NOT armed) upon arriving from a trip to the US.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/sep/03/met-police-chief-calls-for-review-of-law-after-graham-linehan-arrest
Even Prime Minister Keir Starmer is objecting to the arrest of Linehan >>>> according to this video clip from a British morning show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqDxAhLtY9U [8 minutes]
I think the government and senior leaders of the institutions are
*FINALLY* starting to wake up and realize how excessive they've been in >>>> policing free speech. At least I *want* to believe that.
Then again, knowing how politicians do what they do, I am fully prepared >>>> to believe that Rowley and Starmer are merely trying to save face by >>>> *pretending* to be aghast at what has happened. They'll confer behind >>>> close doors, issue a vague and half-hearted statement about what will >>>> sound like changes to their enforcement policies and then go on pretty >>>> much as they have been doing.
Clearly, we'll have to let this play out and see if anything substantive >>>> will actually be done. I'm not holding my breath but I would be
delighted if they actually restore freedom of speech in the UK.
Not so fast! The cops are going after kids now if they're caught showing too
much patriotism.
https://x.com/TRobinsonNewEra/status/1963177418337796545
to cut them a bit of slack here. I think it's clear that authority
trickles down from on high and the cops on the street are only following
whatever policies their bosses have enunciated.
There comes a point where you just refuse to follow those orders if those orders contravene the laws and principles of your society.
What I don't get is why so many cops are willing to go along with this. They better than anyone else can see how native Brits are being treated and how they're losing their nation. Why would they participate? I would have expected
mass refusals to go along with it and/or resignations. I certainly wouldn't participate in the destruction of my country for a middling paycheck.
The Great Ship of State
can't turn on a dime, even if it wants to, so if the head of the
Metropolitan Police is only now just starting to push back a little,
it's going to take a minute for a new policing strategy to be developed
and then communicated to the lower ranks. In the meantime, the rank and
file are going to follow their existing policies.
Of course I may just be naive in thinking Rowley or Keir Starmer are
even slightly sincere in thinking things have gone too far. I'm cynical
enough to doubt that the scales fell off both men's eyes and they now
see sense due to a single incident. But maybe, just maybe, there is a
smidgen of truth to the idea that they see things have gone too far and
will work to dial back the police overreach - and the two tier policing!
- to restore some freedom to their country. A guy can dream can't he?
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