Pete North, a British blogger from Yorkshire, was arrested at his home last Thursday for posting a controversial meme online that included the phrase “F–k Hamas.” North, 47, shared a video showing police arriving and informing him he was being detained due to a social media post flagged by their hate crime unit.
Although the meme also contained offensive language directed at Palestine and Islam, authorities primarily focused on the part criticizing Hamas, the terror group behind the October 7 attack in Israel, North told the Telegraph.
During questioning, an officer confronted North about the meme, specifically asking about his use of “F–k Hamas.” North explained that Hamas is a banned terrorist organization internationally, including in the UK. He claimed the officer seemed unaware of who Hamas are or the atrocities they committed, particularly on October 7.
The meme posted by North featured a Palestinian flag with the phrases, “F–k Palestine. F–k Hamas. F–k Islam. Want to protest? F–k off to Muslim country and protest.”
North Yorkshire Police confirmed that a man was arrested on suspicion of “publishing or distributing written material intended to stir up racial hatred.” North was later released without charges after a prolonged interrogation.
Since his release, North has accused the police of attempting to intimidate individuals into self-censorship online. “What political cartoons and memes I post on social media should not be the police’s business,” he told the Telegraph. He added, “Nobody should face police investigations for posting memes on Twitter.”
North believes the real goal behind such arrests is not conviction but to discourage people from sharing provocative content. His case has fueled outrage across the UK, where many feel law enforcement is increasingly cracking down on freedom of expression, even targeting symbolic acts like flag-waving.
Earlier this month, a cancer patient from the U.S. living in the UK also reported being questioned by police over an allegedly “threatening” social media message.
Rupert Lowe, an independent Member of Parliament, described North’s arrest as part of a troubling pattern of free speech violations under the Labour government. “Free speech does not exist in Britain anymore. It has been steadily eroded by successive administrations in the name of ‘safety,’” Lowe told the Spectator.
