No further action to be taken against Zack Polanski over guillotine T-shirt post, police say
The Metropolitan Police has confirmed no further action will be taken against Green Party leader Zack Polanski over an image he shared on social media depicting a T-shirt bearing a guillotine and the phrase "We're only making plans for Nigel." Reform UK leader Nigel Farage had reported Polanski to police, prompting a review, but officers concluded that an extensive investigation would be disproportionate given the image was unlikely to constitute a criminal offence. The decision has sparked a political row, with Reform UK accusing police of "two-tier" treatment while the Greens said the outcome was "obvious from the start".
The Met explained that the guillotine image was the 18th of 20 photos in the original post, and that Polanski has said he had not seen it before agreeing to take part. Steps were taken to remove the post once concerns were raised, though it had already been shared by around 130 accounts and further circulated elsewhere online, meaning any thorough investigation would have needed to cover all those involved, not just Polanski. Separately, the Met said a crime should be recorded regarding the wearing of the T-shirt itself, an incident that occurred in Bristol, and has referred that matter to Avon and Somerset Police for further consideration.
- Met Police won't act further against Polanski over guillotine T-shirt image
- Farage's Reform UK complaint led to review; Greens call row a distraction
- T-shirt-wearing incident referred to Avon and Somerset Police instead