Full Breakdown
Met Police Decline Further Action on Green Leader’s Reposted T-Shirt Image
7/30/2026, 1:52:46 AM
Core Event
The force concluded that the repost was unlikely to constitute a criminal offence and that pursuing an investigation of the roughly 130 accounts that shared the image would be disproportionate.
Political Context
A Green Party spokesperson said it was “obvious from the start” that no crime had been committed and accused Reform UK of exploiting the incident for partisan purposes. Reform UK responded that the decision illustrates a “two-tier Britain,” claiming the police allow Polanski to “incite murder” while ordinary citizens face legal action for jokes online.
Official Police Statements
The Metropolitan Police stated that, after careful review, the sharing of the image did not meet the threshold for a criminal offence and that any investigation must treat all accounts equally, regardless of public profile. The force also noted that a separate crime report had been referred to Avon and Somerset Police, the jurisdiction covering Bristol where the T-shirt was photographed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Zack Polanski is allowed to get away with inciting murder whilst ordinary people up and down the country get a knock at the door for making a joke online.” — The Met
- “Particular consideration has been given to the context around the image; its use of song lyrics, and the marketing of the T-shirt as a satirical piece.” — Somerset Police
