Full Breakdown
Green Party Leader Apologises After Retweet Criticising Police Response to Golders Green Stabbings
5/2/2026, 9:41:16 AM
The Retweet and Immediate Fallout
Green Party leader Zack Polanski retweeted an X post that alleged Metropolitan Police officers “repeatedly and violently kicked a mentally ill man in the head” after the suspect in the Golders Green stabbing was tasered. The post was shared without comment on Friday, prompting swift condemnation from the police commissioner and the prime minister.
Background: Golders Green Stabbings and Police Action
On Wednesday, two Jewish individuals were stabbed in Golders Green, north-west London. Police arrested the suspect, Essa Suleiman, 45, after a struggle in which officers shouted “get down on the ground” and “drop the knife”. Body-worn camera footage shows the suspect being tasered (two shots) and officers kicking his head while attempting to disarm him. Officers feared the suspect’s rucksack might contain an explosive device.
Key Figures
- Zack Polanski – Green Party leader for England and Wales, London Assembly member overseeing the Met.
- Sir Mark Rowley – Metropolitan Police Commissioner.
- Sir Keir Starmer – Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
- Grant Shapps – Former Home Secretary.
- Anthony Slaughter – Green Party Welsh leader.
- Rachel Millward – Green Party deputy leader.
Timeline of Events
- Wednesday – Stabbings occur; suspect arrested after police use taser.
- Thursday – Rowley sends a letter to Polanski calling the retweet “inaccurate and misinformed commentary”.
- Friday – Polanski issues an apology, invites Rowley to meet; Starmer labels the retweet “disgraceful” and defends officers’ split-second decisions; Shapps also calls the intervention “disgraceful”.
Official Statements & Responses
Polanski’s statement emphasized leadership responsibility, regretted sharing the tweet hastily, and pledged to discuss the police response with Rowley. Rowley defended his officers as “nothing short of extraordinary”, described their actions as “completely reasonable”, and warned that undermining confidence could have a chilling effect. Starmer argued that officers, fearing a bomb, acted instinctively to “disable” the suspect. Within the Green Party, Slaughter called the retweet inappropriate, while Millward praised the officers as brave and well-trained.
Criticism & Opposition
Grant Shapps, former home secretary, described Polanski’s intervention as “disgraceful”. Slaughter and Millward publicly distanced themselves from the retweet, highlighting internal party disagreement. The episode has drawn attention ahead of upcoming elections in Scotland, Wales and English councils.
On-the-Ground Reports
Metropolitan Police released body-camera footage showing officers repeatedly ordering the suspect to “get down” before tasering him and subsequently kicking his head while extracting a knife. The footage contradicts the claim of “repeatedly and violently” kicking a “mentally ill” man, though it does confirm some head-impact during the struggle.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The retweeted claim described the suspect as “mentally ill” and asserted “repeatedly and violently” kicking, whereas the released footage shows limited kicking without confirmation of the suspect’s mental health status. No independent verification of the “mentally ill” description is provided, leaving a gap between the social-media allegation and the documented police actions.
Verbatim Quotes
- “In a statement, the Green leader 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
- “are nothing short of extraordinary” — Sir Mark Rowley, Metropolitan Police Commissioner
- “ Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme for an interview that will be broadcast on Saturday morning, Starmer said that having seen the footage, police might have believed an explosive device was in the rucksack carried by the suspect, and that “there would be the instinctive reaction, which is disable, by whatever means – we have to stop that happening.” — Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister
- “I'm sure it was beyond terrifying, and these people are brave, well trained in what they do, I'm sure they did a brilliant job,” — Rachel Millward, Green Party deputy leader
- “It does seem, from what I've read, (it) was inappropriate to retweet.” — Anthony Slaughter, Green Party Welsh leader
What’s Next
Polanski has arranged a meeting with Rowley to discuss the police response and broader policing concerns. The incident is likely to feature in political discourse during the imminent regional elections, while investigations into the Golders Green attacks and the use of force continue under Metropolitan Police oversight.
