A 62-year-old man has been arrested after a Green Party rally in Hastings was disrupted by a group of agitators, with one man performing Nazi salutes. Sussex Police confirmed the arrest on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence.
The incident occurred on Thursday as Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who is Jewish, addressed hundreds of supporters ahead of local elections. A group of men unfurled a Reform UK flag and a St George's Cross flag, while one individual gave at least three Nazi salutes, witnessed by The Independent and captured on camera.
Polanski had been speaking about the double stabbing in Golders Green the previous day, which he described as 'horrific'. He said: 'It is a politics that rejects antisemitism... When they come for one of us, I say this as a Jewish man, they come for all of us.'
A Green Party spokesperson condemned the harassment, stating: 'Zack is the only Jewish leader of a political party in this country, and he faces this kind of antisemitic abuse far too often.' They called on Reform UK to investigate, noting the men appeared to be Reform UK supporters.
Reform UK described the salute as 'abhorrent' and distanced themselves from the individual, saying he had no connection to the party. Police are appealing for further information.
