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During Henry’s Kissinger’s famous “Year of Europe” speech in 1973, the then Assistant for National Security affairs observed that, “our values, our goals, and our basic interests are most closely identified with those of Europe.” Indeed, while perhaps Kissinger’s remarks were accurate when taken in the context of Soviet repression and a shared continental commitment to containing the threat, the transatlantic consensus he described has since frayed. Have some East Asian countries moved to take Europe’s place as free speech protectors?
Last September, five armed British police officers stood in London’s Heathrow airport, waiting for the arrival of Graham Linehan’s flight from Arizona with strict orders to arrest the Irish comedian upon his entry into the United Kingdom. Linehan’s offense? Three posts on X, written months earlier from his home in the United States. He was searched, interrogated, and hospitalized from the stress of the ordeal before being released on bail. He was barred from posting again until his case was resolved. On July 9th, 2026, the Metropolitan Police seemingly recognized the absurdity of Linehan’s arrest, compensated him £25,000, albeit still refusing to acknowledge any unlawfulness with the arrest.
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Derek Lux is a Senior Project Manager for Policy and Research at the Manhattan Institute.