Essex Police have closed an investigation into a journalist for alleged incitement of racial hatred over a post online that has since been deleted.
An independent review will be launched into the force’s handling of the case.
Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson said she was wearing her dressing gown when she was spoken to by two constables from Essex Police on Remembrance Sunday, about a year-old post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
News of the visit sparked a backlash, including from former Conservative prime ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, who both called the incident “appalling”, and X owner Elon Musk.
Essex Police had been carrying out an investigation under the Public Order Act but said on Thursday that it decided to take “no further action” after the Crown Prosecution Service advised that no charges should be brought.
The force added that the National Police Chiefs’ Council hate crime lead has agreed to conduct an independent review into the force’s handling of the matter.
An Essex Police spokesman said: “We investigate crimes reported to us without fear or favour.
“We’re sometimes faced with allegations of crime where people have strong opposing views.
“That’s why we work so hard to remain impartial and to investigate allegations, regardless of where they might lead.”
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch and shadow home secretary Chris Philp called for the guidelines on non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs) to be reviewed in the wake of the case against Ms Pearson being dropped.
Very pleased that Essex Police have now dropped this investigation into @AllisonPearson.
Journalists should not be getting visits from the police for expressing opinions. The credit goes to Allison for standing her ground. Non-crime hate incident reports have increased…
— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) November 21, 2024
Ms Badenoch said in a post on X, formerly Twitter: “Journalists should not be getting visits from the police for expressing opinions.
“Non-crime hate incident reports have increased exponentially as they appear to be used beyond the original intentions of the legislation created over 20 years ago.
“It’s time to look (yet again) at the guidelines and review whether the overall policy is still fit for purpose.”
Mr Philp took to social media to say: “It should never have come to this. The police should not be policing thought or speech.
“Police time should only be spent on criminality or behaviour likely to lead imminently to criminality.
“I urge the Govt to urgently change the guidelines on NCHIs to stop it happening again.”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he was “delighted” the case has been dropped, adding that his party would “repeal” hate speech laws.
Speaking on her Planet Normal podcast, Ms Pearson said the visit by Essex Police “upset” her.
“Whatever I did or didn’t tweet, if somebody found it offensive, that to me is still not a reason for two policemen to come to my house on a Sunday morning,” she said.
