The arrest of comedy writer Graham Linehan at Heathrow Airport should shock every freedom-loving American. Five armed police officers swooped in on this man for posting on social media. This is what happens when governments decide they can control what people say online.

Linehan was returning from America when British authorities grabbed him. They claim his posts from months earlier incited violence against a protected group. But where does this madness end when police can arrest you for words on the internet.

The whole thing stinks of government overreach. Why did they need five armed officers to arrest one comedy writer. This looks more like something from a police state than a free country.

Even Britain’s own Health Secretary admits their online speech laws might need review. When your own government officials question these arrests, you know something is seriously wrong. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner says his officers are in an impossible position.

Free speech advocates are calling this arrest shameful. They say free speech in Britain is barely alive. These are the same tactics authoritarian regimes use to silence critics and dissidents.

This should be a wake-up call for Americans. What happens in Britain today could happen here tomorrow. Our First Amendment protections are under constant attack from the left.

We cannot let the government decide what speech is acceptable. Once they start arresting people for social media posts, no one is safe. Every conservative voice becomes a target for the thought police.

Americans must stand up for free speech everywhere. If we stay silent while other countries crush liberty, we risk losing our own freedoms. The fight for free speech is the fight for everything we hold dear.