- Zack Polanski has refused three times to apologise to Nigel Farage for re-posting a photo of a man wearing a t-shirt with an image of a guillotine and the slogan "we're only making plans for Nigel".
- Reform UK reported Polanski to the police and called for an investigation, stating the image showed a "photo of man calling for the beheading of Nigel Farage", which could be an "incitement to murder".
- Polanski stated he would not apologise for what he called an inadvertent mistake, emphasizing that he condemns political violence.
- The Metropolitan Police confirmed they had received a complaint regarding the incident but stated there was no update on the matter.
- Polanski quickly deleted the controversial post but claimed he had not been contacted by police regarding the matter.
- Reform UK leader Farage criticized Polanski, stating that if he were to post anything inciteful, he would expect to be arrested.
- Polanski expressed concern over the language used in the accusations, stating it puts him in a dangerous spot.
- Reform UK has asked the monitoring officer from the Greater London Authority to investigate whether Polanski breached the code of conduct.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski has faced backlash after sharing a controversial image featuring a guillotine, leading to a police report by Reform UK. The image, depicting a man in a t-shirt with the slogan "we're only making plans for Nigel," was criticized by Reform UK's home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf, who claimed it could be seen as "incitement to murder."12
Polanski, who deleted the post, stated he had not been contacted by the police regarding the matter. He defended his actions, labeling the situation an "inadvertent mistake" and accused Nigel Farage of misrepresenting the image. In a statement to BBC Newsnight, he remarked, "If Nigel Farage wants to apologise for all the times that he's put other people in danger then I will be happy to make an apology."3
Despite the controversy, Polanski has refused to apologize, asserting that Farage had cropped the image to distort its context. He expressed concern over the escalating rhetoric, stating, "The ramping up of the language to say 'this is incitement to murder me' feels like that's also putting me in a dangerous spot."7
The Metropolitan Police confirmed they received a complaint but had no updates. Meanwhile, Reform UK has called for an investigation into whether Polanski breached the code of conduct as an elected member of the Greater London Authority.4
Keith Prince, a Reform London Assembly Member, criticized Polanski's claims of ignorance, calling them "frankly risible." A Reform UK source described Polanski's refusal to apologize as "astonishing and quite frankly sickening."
“Polanski has faced backlash for the post, with Reform UK's Zia Yusuf claiming it could be seen as 'incitement to murder.' Despite the police report, Polanski insists he will not apologise, stating that acknowledging the mistake would only amplify the issue and further endanger him.”
