Football fan banned from matches until 2026 after Premier League conduct four-month ‘stasi’ probe into her social media posts criticising transgender ideology – despite police saying she did not commit a crime

A football fan has been banned from matches until 2026 after Premier League conducted a ‘secretive’ four-month ‘Stasi’ probe into her social media posts that criticised transgender ideology.

Linzi Smith, a Newcastle United supporter, was investigated by a special unit set up to expose racism in the game, after she expressed strong views on trans ideology on the social media platform ‘X’, formerly known as Twitter.

The 34-year-old, who is gay and champions lesbian, gay and bisexual rights, was later presented with a 11-page dossier — compiled by the Premiere League — which included details of where she lives, works and even where she walked her dog. 

Ms Smith was interviewed by police after the dossier was handed to them by Newcastle United. It took police officers two hours to confirm that she did not commit a crime.

The home ground of Newcastle United, a club Ms Smith supports, is pictured 

The report (pictured) compiled by Premiere League on Linzi Smith includes details of where she lives, works and even where she walked her dog

But despite this, the club still revoked her membership and banned her from coming to games until 2026.

She is now taking legal action to overturn the ban, stating that it is her right by law to express gender-critical views  and that the Premiere League’s actions were a breach of data protection laws.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Ms Smith said: ‘I’m struggling to believe this has happened to me. It’s mind-blowing that they have gone to such lengths because I have expressed views to which I am entitled on my personal Twitter account.

‘They have behaved like the Stasi – it was being done so covertly that I didn’t even know what was happening.’

Ms Smith told the newspaper she felt ‘violated’ by Premiere League’s actions.

Newcastle United started looking into Ms Smith’s personal life after receiving a complaint from a fan who accused her of discriminating against trans people.

Speaking to Toby Jones at The Free Speech Union, Linzi added: ‘I was banned for the rest of this season and the next two.

‘I live 10 minutes away, I struggle even to come near the ground now to be honest with you, I get upset when I talk about it because I don’t understand where it’s come from, I don’t understand why someone’s gotten so offended by me just speaking my mind. I don’t get it. 

The 34-year-old was interviewed by police after an 11-page dossier was handed to them by Newcastle United 

Linzi’s Tweet (pictured)which was flagged for investigation 

She is now taking legal action to overturn the ban, stating that it is her right by law to express gender-critical views and that the Premiere League’s actions were a breach of data protection laws

‘I avoid the city now, I avoid it, especially if it’s a match day, if I’m going home I’ll drive the long way round so I don’t have to see people. 

‘I won’t even come down here and drink anymore…I can’t even bring myself to do that, every time I come round here now I’m just sick to my stomach.’

The complainant included screenshots taken from Ms Smith’s social media account in which she suggested that some transgender people were suffering from mental illness.

The complainant said they would feel ‘unsafe’ if they had to ‘share a space’ with someone who was so ‘openly transphobic and stated that many of Ms Smith’s posts were mocking the trans movement.

In October, Newcastle United emailed Ms Smith to inform her that she was being investigated by Northumbria Police for a possible hate crime offence and that her membership had been suspended.

It is understood that Ms Smith had not done anything to offend anyone during a match, inside the stadium or involving the club.

Days after, Ms Smith was visited by two police officers at her home and she agreed to be interviewed under caution about her tweets for 25 minutes.

Two hours later, she received a call from police to inform her that no further action would be taken as she had not committed any offence.

Ms Smith appealed her ban but was told on January 26 that it had been upheld because her tweets ‘constitute harassment’ and go against the club’s Equality Policy.