Police take no action over Polanski guillotine image
Metropolitan Police review concludes threshold for criminal action was not met after Reform UK complaint.
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The Metropolitan Police has concluded its review into Green Party leader Zack Polanski sharing an image featuring a guillotine and the slogan "we're only making plans for Nigel". The force announced on 29 July 2026 that it would take no further action, stating that the threshold for criminal action was not met.
Reform UK had reported Polanski to the Metropolitan Police, with their home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf accusing him of inciting murder. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, had called for Polanski's arrest. However, the Metropolitan Police stated that after conducting inquiries, it was unlikely that the sharing of the image online would constitute a criminal offence.
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T-shirt incident referred to other force
While the Metropolitan Police decided not to pursue action over the shared image, it did determine that a crime report should be recorded concerning the wearing of the T-shirt itself. This report was referred to Avon and Somerset Police, who cover the area where the photograph was taken. Avon and Somerset Police also concluded that the threshold for a criminal offence had not been met.
Avon and Somerset Police stated that particular consideration was given to the context of the image, its use of song lyrics, and the marketing of the T-shirt as a satirical piece. The force noted that no complaints were received from individuals present at the event where the T-shirt was worn and found no evidence that the wearer intended to threaten any individual or encourage others to do so.
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Polanski refuses apology
Zack Polanski has stated he will not apologise to Nigel Farage for sharing the image. He told BBC Newsnight that he had made an "inadvertent mistake" by accepting a collaboration request with a photographer on Instagram without carefully reviewing all 20 images. The image was subsequently removed from his feed, with the Green Party describing the T-shirt as "clearly in poor taste".
Polanski told Newsnight: "If I'd done it deliberately I'd be apologising but because this was a mistake I think the important thing is that I point out this was a mistake, that I also make sure that I condemn political violence, and also crucially I make a commitment to be better on social media." He added that if Nigel Farage apologised for times he had put others in danger, he would consider apologising.
A spokesperson for the Green Party said it was "obvious from the start" that no crime had been committed and suggested Reform UK was using the incident as a "political football" to distract from other issues. A Reform UK spokesman responded by stating that "we see that we are living in two-tier Britain" and that Polanski was "allowed to get away with inciting murder".
Questions this report answers
+Why won’t the police take action against Zack Polanski?
The Metropolitan Police decided the threshold for criminal action was not met after reviewing the case. This means they found no evidence that sharing the image online amounted to inciting murder or another crime.
+What did Avon and Somerset Police decide about the T-shirt?
Avon and Somerset Police concluded no criminal offence was committed regarding the T-shirt worn in the image. They noted the context, satirical intent, and lack of complaints from witnesses at the event.
+Will Zack Polanski apologise to Nigel Farage?
No, Zack Polanski has refused to apologise and stated he made an inadvertent mistake. He added that if Nigel Farage apologised for past actions, he would consider it.
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