Britain's most senior police officer has stated that Green Party leader Zack Polanski sharing a post concerning the arrest of the Golders Green terror suspect will have a 'chilling effect'. Mr Polanski retweeted an X post accusing officers of 'repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head' while he was already incapacitated from being tasered.
Met Commissioner's Response
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley expressed his disappointment in a letter to Mr Polanski, describing the post as 'inaccurate and misinformed'. Sir Mark praised the officers involved, stating they 'are nothing short of extraordinary' and emphasised that without their efforts, the outcome could have been far worse. He added, 'London's Jewish communities are scared. They have experienced a series of targeted attacks, and they expect our officers to act and protect them. That is exactly what our officers did yesterday. Your decision to criticise these officers, using your public profile and reach, will have a chilling effect.'
Details of the Arrest
The Metropolitan Police released a video of the arrest, showing a 45-year-old Somali-born British national holding a knife as he advanced towards officers. Two officers fired Tasers, and the suspect, wearing a blue puffer jacket and a rucksack, eventually collapsed to the ground. Officers could be heard urgently shouting 'get down on the ground' and 'take the Taser'. Once the suspect was on the ground, one officer knelt on top of him while another continued to use his Taser, and more police surrounded them. The officer repeatedly yelled 'drop the knife' and 'drop the f****** knife' while the suspect struggled. A plain-clothed man, possibly a member of the Jewish community security team, eventually wrenched the knife from the suspect's hand. The suspect was handcuffed and arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Political Reactions
Mr Polanski has also accused Labour of 'using Jewish pain' to justify an 'authoritarian' agenda regarding potential bans on pro-Palestinian marches after the Golders Green attack. The left-wing leader, who is the only current Jewish leader of a major UK political party, criticised Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood for hinting at new powers to crack down on protests against Israel. Mr Polanski told The Independent: 'It is an outrage that this increasingly authoritarian government would now seek to use the pain of the Jewish community to seek further restrictions on the rights to peaceful protest. The Green Party will fight any restrictions on peaceful protest, whatever the cause, every step of the way.'
The Gaza issue has become a major dividing line between Labour and the Greens, with Mr Polanski's party recently winning the Gorton and Denton by-election in Manchester, partly by targeting Muslim voters. A Green Party spokesperson stated: 'Zack has seen the video like everyone else, and doesn't know the full picture and knows it was a very difficult situation for the authorities, but we do need to understand more about the response.' The police watchdog has confirmed it has not received a referral concerning the nature of the arrest.
