Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green Party, has been accused of laughing during a discussion about the desecration of Winston Churchill's statue with pro-Palestinian graffiti. The incident occurred as fellow London Assembly members spoke out against the attack on the monument to Britain's greatest wartime leader, with Polanski said to appear 'amused' by their remarks.
Vote Against Condemnation Motion
Mr Polanski and his Green colleagues then voted against a motion to condemn the vandalism, shocking members who had assumed it would pass unanimously. The motion, put forward by the Greater London Authority (GLA) which manages the site, sought to 'condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the appalling desecration of the statue of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square on 27 February 2026'.
Defence of Direct-Action Protest
During the meeting, Green Assembly member Zoe Garbett defended direct-action protest such as vandalism as a 'legitimate and necessary part of democratic political life'. She added: 'Rather than worrying about a statue, what should worry us all is the UK's complicity and continued support for Israel.'
Her comments were condemned by Susan Hall, the leader of the Conservatives at City Hall, who can be heard in footage of the debate saying 'you're laughing, I'm glad Zack that you find this amusing, because actually most of the public will not find this amusing'. Ms Hall said she was 'dumbfounded' when she claims she heard Mr Polanski laughing as she condemned the damage to Sir Winston's statue.
Details of the Vandalism
Sir Winston's statue in Parliament Square was defaced last month, when it was daubed in red paint slogans including 'Zionist war criminal' and 'globalise the intifada'. Last weekend a 38-year-old man was charged with criminal damage over the alleged offence. The vandalism was widely condemned as an 'attack on democracy', with Downing Street branding it 'completely abhorrent'.
Political Backlash
Retired Colonel Richard Kemp said Mr Polanski's behaviour revealed he is 'anti-British', adding that it shows the Green leader is 'unfit for political office'. Shadow armed forces minister Mark Francois said that Sir Winston 'led our country through a war of national survival against Hitler's Nazi regime' and said the Greens 'should be ashamed of themselves'.
He told the Express: 'To deface his memorial like this is not an act of free speech but an insult to a successful war leader, now endorsed by a party of Left-wing extremists posing as friends of the environment.'
Broader Criticism of Green Party
Susan Hall told the Mail: 'I always thought of the Greens as the cuddly environmental people that they used to be, but it's now clear they're nothing but a danger to us. It's beyond belief that a national party can think it's acceptable to break the law and to damage our national treasures. This just proves how inappropriate they are to be anywhere near power.'
The Green Party was approached for comment but has not yet responded to the allegations regarding Polanski's conduct during the debate.
