Zack Polanski has incorrectly claimed that the Golders Green terror suspect was handcuffed in a video that sparked an incendiary row between the Green leader and the Metropolitan Police. In an interview on the BBC’s Today programme, Mr Polanski said he was “traumatised by seeing someone handcuffed and repeatedly kicked in the head”. But the video, widely circulated online, clearly shows the man on the floor after being Tasered, but not in handcuffs, with officers grappling to get something out of his hands. The police also appear to shout “drop the knife” a number of times.
Labour MP David Taylor said: “Polanski is at it again – the attacker was not handcuffed.” A Green Party spokesperson said: “Zack misspoke and meant that the man was on the floor.”
Row Over Police Response
The row comes as Mr Polanski is facing calls to “come clean with the public” after he is said to have falsely claimed to be a spokesman for the British Red Cross while crowdfunding a political campaign. Last week, Mr Polanski apologised after he came under fire from the head of the Met Police, Sir Mark Rowley, for sharing an “inaccurate” post on social media which criticised the response to the Golders Green attack.
Mr Polanski retweeted an X post accusing Met officers of detaining the suspect by “repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head” when he was already incapacitated from being tasered. In a rare intervention, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark hit out at Mr Polanski in an open letter for sharing the post and later accused him of “undermining” the force.
Apology and Defiance
In response, Mr Polanski apologised and said on Friday: “Everyone in leadership has a responsibility for lowering the temperature at a time of such tension, and I apologise for sharing a tweet in haste. Police responses to emergency situations such as these do need later reflection in the right forums, but I accept that social media is not the appropriate channel for doing so.” Sir Keir Starmer was among the politicians to condemn Mr Polanski, calling his actions “disgraceful” and claiming he is “not fit to lead any political party”.
On Sunday, however, he reignited the explosive row, accusing Sir Mark of interference during an election campaign. A defiant Mr Polanski also said he was still concerned over the events depicted in the video – and said that the police should not be above scrutiny. He said he remained “concerned” about the officers’ actions, adding that everyone who works in public service “should not be above scrutiny”, and that actions must be “proportionate, no matter how brave”. The Metropolitan Police have been approached for comment.
