I am Linzi Smith, a member of the Free Speech Union, an LGB advocate and a lifelong supporter of Newcastle United. I was banned from my football club and subjected to a sinister private investigation because I believe that biological sex is important and real. This is my story.

Newcastle United

On 31 October 2023 I received an email from Newcastle United. Expecting to hear something about a football game, I was horrified to find that the club had suspended my membership pending the outcome of a police investigation into a possible hate crime. This was a massive shock. I have never been in trouble with the police and had no idea that I was the subject of a police investigation.

I endured a few frantic days trying to find out what was going on. Worse was to come: the police interviewed me about comments I had posted on X (formerly Twitter). They asked me if I thought my comments were ‘offensive’. The police soon realised that no crime had been committed and I was told that no further action would be taken. It was an enormously stressful ordeal.

Relieved, I assumed that Newcastle would lift my suspension and I could put the whole sorry affair behind me. I was wrong.  Despite my pleas and a strongly worded letter from the Free Speech Union, on 17 November 2023 I was banned from the club for three seasons because of comments I had made online.

The X posts

The club cited three posts on X as evidence of alleged discrimination. The comments were controversial – some may even have found them offensive – but they were lawful and didn’t concern Newcastle or football in any way.

One post responded to Mermaids’ announcement that it was leaving X. I expressed my honestly held belief that Mermaids sought to promote gender affirmation in schools in a manner that runs counter to NHS advice and overrides safeguarding. I consider this to be a form of grooming and said as much.

The second post expressed my enormous frustration at biological males who insist on participating in female sports despite the unfair advantage that it gives them and the hugely detrimental impact that it has on women’s sport.

The final post came during a lengthy exchange with an individual who accused me of being a ‘Nazi’. I asked whether they realised that gender reassignment surgery can be linked to Nazis such as Dr Mengele who performed experimental sex change operations on concentration camp inmates.

I express my views strongly and sometimes clumsily but never in a threatening or abusive way. In turn I receive a lot of hateful and abusive messages online, but never reciprocate. I was therefore devastated by the club’s decision. I couldn’t understand why they chose to ban me as my comments on X were not in any way related to the club or directed at anyone connected to the club. I had simply expressed my gender critical beliefs honestly and lawfully. I didn’t even know who had complained about me or what they had said about me.

Targeted by the Premier League

At this point, events turned sinister.  A data subject access request to the club revealed a confidential report called the “Online Investigation and Target Profile” created by the Premier League. The report contained details of my posts on X and far, far more. The Premier League pried into who I am and where I live. They even gathered images of the places where I walk my dog.

I was extremely disturbed. I could see no reason for them to intrude so deeply into my private life. What’s more, it had been going on for four months before I found out about it. As early as July 2023, Newcastle had taken an interest in my social media activity, after receiving a single complaint about my posts on X. Rather than dismiss the complaint on the basis that my legally protected philosophical beliefs were nothing to do with club, Newcastle instead instructed the Premier League to covertly research me.

The Premier League didn’t just produce the Online Investigation and Target Profile.  They also provided Newcastle with guidance on “exploring options for restorative education”.

When I appealed Newcastle’s decision to ban me they doubled down and upheld their original decision.

Legal action

With the help of the Free Speech Union, I am commencing legal action against both Newcastle United FC and the Premier League. Following advice from specialist counsel, I have instructed Levins Solicitors to write to both organisations under the relevant pre-action protocol setting out my claims against them, including the following:

• under the Data Protection Act 2018, unlawful processing by both organisations of my personal data, including special category personal data concerning my philosophical beliefs and sexual orientation;
• under the Equality Act 2010, less favourable treatment of me by both organisations because of my protected philosophical belief in the reality of sex, and/or instructing, causing, inducing or aiding contravention of the Equality Act.

I am asking for your help at this stage with two aspects. First, funds to cover the drafting of a letter before action to both organisations. Second, funds to help to pay for insurance in the event that they don’t back down, so that I can take them to court without fear of being bankrupted if I lose and am ordered to pay their costs.

I hope that any eventual claim can be funded under a conditional fee agreement. It may be, however, that I need to raise further funds in the future. I will keep supporters updated as the case progresses.

As you can imagine, this is a David and Goliath situation as both organisations are well funded and will have strong legal representation.

The funds raised through this campaign will go towards funding my legal fees incurred in bringing proceedings. Helping me bring a successful legal action will make these organisations think twice before they engage in this type of Orwellian behaviour again.

Any unused funds will be put towards other important gender critical related campaigns.

Media links

My case has already been covered in the media extensively:

• 'Football fan banned over gender-critical posts after ‘Stasi’ Premier League investigation' Telegraph
• 'Why have Newcastle United cancelled a fan for ‘wrongthink’?  Spectator
• 'My political views have nothing to do with you': Newcastle United fan who was banned from matches until 2026 'for her trans views' reveals Premier League compiled 'Stasi' dossier about her where she was called 'the target'  Daily Mail Online
• https://youtu.be/zBghrEgYs8I
• https://youtu.be/daNVoKgrd3k