Full Breakdown
Reform UK reports Green Party leader Zack Polanski to police over alleged incitement to murder
7/29/2026, 2:18:39 AM
The incident and police involvement
The post, part of a collaborative Instagram story containing 20 images from a recent Green Party event, reached Polanski’s 713,000 followers before he removed it.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed they had received a third-party report relating to the image and that officers were “conducting enquiries into the matter” (see Verbatim Quotes). Police have not yet contacted Polanski directly.
Background and recent security concerns
The controversy emerged less than three weeks after the murder of Reform UK immigration spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe on 9 July. Widdecombe’s killing, which involved 21 hammer blows to the head, intensified public debate over the safety of elected officials. In the wake of that attack, Polanski publicly urged the government to provide additional security for politicians, citing the heightened threat environment.
Official statements and responses
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage shared a screenshot of the offending image on X and warned that posting similarly “inciteful” material would merit arrest. Reform UK home-affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf described the picture as “incitement to murder” and highlighted the timing, noting the proximity to Widdecombe’s death.
Data and statistics
- Instagram reach: 713 000 followers.
- Number of images in the collaborative post: 20.
- Date of police report: 27 July.
- Date of Widdecombe’s murder: 9 July.
Verbatim Quotes
- “If I was to post anything as inciteful then I would expect to be arrested, and so should Polanski.” — Nigel Farage
- “Once this image was brought to [Zack's] attention he immediately unshared the post. He unequivocally does not support this type of dangerous message.” — Green Party spokesperson
- “We received a third-party report relating to an image shared on social media. We take reports of this nature extremely seriously, and officers are conducting enquiries into the matter.” — Metropolitan Police
- “To do this just two weeks after our friend Ann was murdered is staggering,” — Zia Yusuf, home affairs spokesperson
Why it matters
The episode underscores the growing scrutiny of political speech on social media, especially when it intersects with recent violent attacks on public figures. It also raises questions about the responsibilities of party leaders when sharing user-generated content, and the capacity of law-enforcement agencies to assess threats that blend satire with violent symbolism.
