Arabic version: بولانسكي يشكك في تصرفات الشرطة بعد هجوم غولدرز غرين

Zack Polanski said he remains concerned over the actions of police officers who arrested the suspect in the Golders Green attack, after previously apologising for sharing a critical social media post. According to BBC News, the Green Party leader emphasized that public service workers “should not be above scrutiny” and action must be “proportionate no matter how brave”.

Polanski apologised on Friday for “sharing a tweet in haste” after he reposted a message on X accusing officers of “repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head when he was already incapacitated by Taser”. He stated that social media was “not the appropriate forum to have that concern”, adding he believed the commissioner’s open letter “also wasn’t necessarily the appropriate forum”.

The situation escalated after two Jewish men, Shloime Rand and Moshe Shine, were stabbed in the Golders Green incident, which has been classified as a terror attack. The suspect, Essa Suleiman, 45, has been charged with three attempted murders. Both victims have since been discharged from the hospital following treatment for their serious injuries.

In response to the attack, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called for police to prosecute people chanting “globalise the intifada” during demonstrations, labelling it an example of “extreme racism”. Polanski said he did not agree with Sir Keir’s view before saying he would “discourage” the use of the phrase but he is “not interested in trying to police people’s language”.

The discourse around policing and protest has drawn mixed reactions from political leaders, with some advocating for stricter regulations on demonstrations. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander noted that while the government is “not talking about an outright ban” on protest, they are exploring appropriate measures to address the issue. Meanwhile, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has suggested a moratorium on pro-Palestinian marches, citing concerns over rising anti-Semitism.

The debate continues as various political figures express differing viewpoints on the balance between free speech and public safety in the context of ongoing protests and recent violent incidents.