Full Breakdown
Green Party Leader Apologises After Retweet Criticising Police Handling of Golders Green Stabbing
5/2/2026, 9:14:39 AM
Golders Green Stabbing and Police Response
On Wednesday, two Jewish men – Shloime Rand, 34, and Norman Shine, 76 – were stabbed in Golders Green, London. Police arrested suspect Essa Suleiman, 45, after a struggle in which officers used Tasers, ordered him to drop his knife and kicked him while he lay on the ground. The incident was classified as a terrorist attack.
Timeline
- Wed: Stabbings and arrest.
- Thu: Body-camera footage released; X post alleges officers “repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man”.
- Thu: Polanski retweets; Rowley letters him, calling the claim inaccurate.
- Fri: Starmer calls the retweet “disgraceful”; Polanski apologises, invites Rowley to meet; Suleiman appears in court on attempted-murder charges.
Key Figures & Groups
Zack Polanski (Green Party leader), Sir Mark Rowley (Metropolitan Police Commissioner), Keir Starmer (Prime Minister), Anthony Slaughter (Welsh Green leader), Rachel Millward (Green deputy leader), Dame Louise Ellman (Joint chair, Board of Deputies), Kemi Badenoch (Conservative leader), and suspect Essa Suleiman (45).
Impact and Statistics
Two victims (34 and 76) were stabbed; the 45-year-old suspect faces three attempted-murder counts for the Golders Green attack and a separate incident. The UK terrorism threat level was raised to “severe”. The dispute has heightened tension ahead of local elections in Scotland, Wales and English councils. Critics say the retweet could erode public confidence in police; supporters stress accountability and note broader antisemitism concerns.
Official Statements & Responses
Rowley called the officers “nothing short of extraordinary” and warned that inaccurate commentary could chill confidence. Starmer said officers acted under split-second pressure, fearing a bomb, and called the retweet “disgraceful”. Polanski said he shared the tweet “in haste”, regretted it, and offered a meeting with Rowley. Green members Slaughter and Millward called the retweet “inappropriate”.
Criticism & Opposition
Dame Ellman called Polanski’s social-media activity “gross misjudgement”. Badenoch suggested he would not be concerned about police tactics if a loved one were attacked. Liberal Democrat MP Luke Taylor called the retweet “utterly disgraceful”.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The X post claimed officers “repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man”, which Rowley called inaccurate. Body-camera footage shows kicks but does not confirm the “mentally ill” description, leaving the exact nature of the force disputed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “disgraceful” — Keir Starmer, Prime Minister
- “Those officers are nothing short of extraordinary,” — Sir Mark Rowley, Metropolitan Police Commissioner
- “He said: “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.” — Zack Polanski, Green Party leader
What’s Next
Rowley and Polanski are set to meet to discuss the police response. Suleiman remains in custody pending further hearings, and the Green Party’s performance will be watched closely in the upcoming local elections.
