Zack Polanski 'Misspoke' By Claiming Golders Green Attack Suspect Was Handcuffed

Zack Polanksi “misspoke” by wrongly claiming the alleged Golders Green attacker was handcuffed when police tried to subdue him.

The Green Party leader said he was “traumatised” by video footage showing the man being tackled by police.

Polanski was forced to apologise after appearing to criticise the police’s response to the incident last Wednesday.

He had retweeted a post on X which said: “So essentially [Met commissioner Mark Rowley’s] officers were repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head when he was already incapacitated by taser.”

Following an angry backlash, Polanski apologised for “sharing a tweet in haste”, saying that social media was not the “appropriate channel” for commenting on police action.

On Radio 4’s Today programme on Wednesday, Polanski said: “Two things can be true at the same time: officers are incredibly brave when they run towards scenes of crimes that most people, including myself, will want to run away from.

“At the same time, I think it is accurate, and that I was also traumatised by seeing someone handcuffed and repeatedly kicked in the head.”

However, the footage showed that the man was not handcuffed at the time, and was still holding a knife.

A Green Party spokesman said: “Zack misspoke.”

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Our brave police ran towards a suspected terrorist and tackled him while he was still carrying a knife and before they could handcuff him.

“The fact that Zack Polanski is still sympathising with this individual is utterly astounding. For the Green Party leader to be litigating the case for the defence against the police shows whose side he is truly on.

“Polanski isn’t serious and he clearly cannot be trusted to protect Britain’s national security.”

A More in Common poll yesterday showed Polanski’s personal approval rating has plummeted in the wake of the row.

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