The head of the Metropolitan Police has defended his decision to publicly criticise Green Party leader Zack Polanski for questioning police actions during an arrest in Golders Green.
Sir Mark Rowley's Response
Sir Mark Rowley sent a sharply-worded letter to Mr Polanski after the politician shared a post on X accusing arresting officers of 'repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head' after he had been tasered. In the letter, which the force shared on social media, Sir Mark warned that such accusations could have a 'chilling effect' on officers and criticised 'armchair experts'.
The unusual intervention came just days before local elections, where the Green Party is expected to make significant gains in London. On Friday morning, Sir Mark explained that officers had used significant force because they feared the suspect might have a concealed explosive device. Moments earlier, two Jewish men had been stabbed in a horrifying terror attack.
Sir Mark's Defence
Speaking to Times Radio, Sir Mark said: 'I'm not interested in politics, but if somebody eminent, rather than some of the oddballs on social media, says something which I see as risking undermining the confidence of my officers to act — because they need that sense of public support — I need to intervene, and that's what I did with that letter.' He added that the officers involved had been shaken after making the arrest.
When asked if it was 'necessary' to kick the man in the head during the arrest, Sir Mark said: 'They're using the force that they see necessary.'
The Letter
In his letter shared on Thursday, Sir Mark wrote: 'I am disappointed because it is this kind of inaccurate and misinformed commentary — with the associated disregard for the incredibly challenging and dangerous work police officers do to protect the public — that is contributing to the rising tensions we are seeing in society and undermines officer confidence to act.'
He continued: 'It is entirely possible the author of the post you retweeted had direct experience from the scene, or has years of experience handling complex, violent situations. But I suspect the more likely scenario is that they are another armchair critic, who thinks they could do the job, possibly more effectively than the brave officers who successfully detained the individual. Those officers are nothing short of extraordinary.'
Green Party Response
A Green Party spokesperson said: '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.'
Charges and Political Reaction
On Friday, Essa Suleiman, 45, was charged with attempted murder following the double stabbing. He also faces a third count of attempted murder over an incident elsewhere in the city earlier the same day that left a man with minor injuries.
In an address from Downing Street on Thursday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for the nation to stand together against antisemitism. He stated: 'We will strengthen our security and protect our Jewish community. But I also call on everyone decent in this country to open their eyes to Jewish pain, Jewish suffering, and Jewish fear. I call on everyone to come together and fight antisemitism, and I call on everyone to fight for the decent, respectful, tolerant Britain that I and millions of people love.'
