Zack Polanski Faces Scrutiny Over Guillotine T-Shirt Post
Reform UK calls for investigation into social media conduct following image deletion.
Callum Smith
Zack Polanski, a prominent political figure, re-posted and subsequently deleted a photo featuring a man in a t-shirt displaying a guillotine image and the slogan "we're only making plans for Nigel."
A Reform UK spokesperson stated, "Once again we see that we are living in two-tier Britain," asserting a disparity in how such incidents are handled.
Zia Yusuf claimed the image depicted a "photo of man calling for the beheading of Nigel Farage," which he asserted constituted an "incitement to murder."
The Green Party spokesman stated Zack Polanski was tagged in a post containing 20 images and clicked accept without realizing its full content.
This was not my post, it was a collaboration from a photographer. It had 20 images and I just didn't look carefully enough and I accepted it.
Polanski himself explained, "This was not my post, it was a collaboration from a photographer." He added, "It had 20 images and I just didn't look carefully enough and I accepted it."
Polanski further clarified, "As soon as I was aware of what happened, I unaccepted it and took it down." Keith Prince, however, claimed that to suggest Polanski was unaware of what he was promoting is 'frankly risible,' dismissing the explanation.
The T-shirt design, created by Sabcat Printing, was listed as 'a cryptic design for difficult times.' The Green Party spokesman acknowledged the T-shirt was in poor taste, especially given heightened fears for public figures' security.
He called for kindness rather than encouraging more division in public discourse, a sentiment echoed across the broader political landscape. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden stated that politicians have a duty to be careful about their social media posts, noting, "It's not the first time Zack Polanski has done something like this."
Polanski has previously apologized for a social media post in May. He offered a conditional apology for the recent incident, stating, "If Nigel Farage wants to apologise for all the times that he's put other people in danger, then I'll be happy to make an apology."
Polanski maintained, "If I'd done it deliberately, I'd be apologising." He asserted that because it was an honest mistake, the crucial steps involve acknowledging the error, condemning political violence, and committing to improving his social media practices.
Polanski also stated, "I think it would be odd for the police to speak to me about that because I think it's quite obvious that I've not done anything wrong other than making an inadvertent mistake." He affirmed, "That being said, if the police do want to talk to me, of course I'm very happy to co-operate."
Commentator Duncan Barkes claimed Polanski's steadfast refusal to apologize appears 'embarrassing,' suggesting he is becoming a liability for his political party. Another commentator claimed many political figures on the Left perceive apologizing to anyone on the Right, including Nigel Farage, as a 'weakness.'
It's truly astonishing and quite frankly sickening that Zack Polanski won't apologise for inciting murder.
The Metropolitan Police will record the wearing of the T-shirt as a crime and has referred a crime report to Avon and Somerset Police, despite their decision regarding the social media post itself. A Reform UK source stated, "It's truly astonishing and quite frankly sickening that Zack Polanski won't apologise for inciting murder."
The source added, "He admits it was wrong. He admits it’s dangerous, but he still refuses to apologise." The post containing the image has since been shared by around 130 accounts and on many more occasions on other social media platforms, reaching a wider audience despite its deletion.