Overview

• North Yorkshire Police said a man was arrested on suspicion of publishing or distributing written material intended to stir up racial hatred and later released on bail while inquiries continue.
• Pete North, 47, posted an August meme on X saying “F--- Palestine. F--- Hamas. F--- Islam,” with an officer on camera citing a hate-crime team review and Section 19 of the Public Order Act.
• Officers attended North’s Easingwold home at about 9:30pm, took him to a Harrogate-area station, and interviewed him around 1am, with his arrest video attracting hundreds of thousands of views online.
• North told officers he did not intend to stir up racial hatred, argued that Islam is not a race, and is reported to have autism and Tourette’s; he was released on bail, with reports citing a December return date.
• The Free Speech Union criticized the arrest and signaled support, placing the case within a wider row over policing online speech that has included recent actions involving Graham Linehan and Lucy Connolly.