(Picture: Getty Images Europe)
The largest police force in the country has announced it will no longer investigate ‘non-crime hate incidents’.
The Metropolitan Police said the incidents do not count as crimes but are perceived to be motivated by hatred towards certain characteristics such as race or gender.
It comes as Father Ted creator Graham Linehan announced he would face no further action after being arrested at Heathrow Airport in September over social media posts about trans issues.
In a statement, the force said: ‘We understand the concern around this case.
‘The Commissioner has been clear he doesn’t believe officers should be policing toxic culture war debates, with current laws and rules on inciting violence online leaving them in an impossible position.
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‘As a result, the Met will no longer investigate non-crime hate incidents. We believe this will provide clearer direction for officers, reduce ambiguity and enable them to focus on matters that meet the threshold for criminal investigations.
‘These incidents will still be recorded and used as valuable pieces of intelligence to establish potential patterns of behaviour or criminality.
‘We will continue to investigate and arrest those who commit hate crimes – allowing us to comply with statutory guidance while focusing our resources on criminality and public protection.’
The Free Speech Union said they planned to sue Scotland Yard for ‘wrongful arrest’ of Linehan.
‘Rather than inviting Graham for an interview in September, the Met sent five armed police officers to arrest him at Heathrow airport,’ they added.
‘So, we’re not stopping here. Police forces cannot continue to suppress lawful free speech without facing consequences.
‘We’ve instructed a top flight team of lawyers to sue the Met for wrongful arrest, among other things.
‘Graham deserves an apology but, more importantly, the police need to be taught a lesson that they cannot allow themselves to be continually manipulated by woke activists.’
