Overview

• The Metropolitan Police confirmed the Father Ted co-creator was detained on Monday for alleged incitement to violence over messages on X.
• The case centers on an April post in which he described trans women in women-only spaces as committing "an act of violence" and urged striking them in the crotch, according to AFP’s account of the messages.
• Prime Minister Keir Starmer told Parliament that police should focus on the most serious problems and affirmed the UK’s tradition of free expression.
• Met Police chief Mark Rowley said officers are in an "impossible position" and called for the law to be clarified on how to police online speech.
• Health Secretary Wes Streeting voiced concern about prosecutions over online remarks as JK Rowling, Nigel Farage and Elon Musk condemned the handling, feeding a wider debate that also references cases tied to the government’s terrorism designations.