Reform repeats ‘two-tier policing’ claim after Zack Polanski cleared over Farage guillotine image
The Met Police has concluded that the threshold for criminal action has not been met, despite Reform calling for Polanski to be arrested
Reform has repeated its “two-tier policing” claim after the police said it will take no further after Zack Polanski shared a post containing an image of a man with an image of a guillotine and the words: “We’re only making plans for Nigel”.
Polanski shared the image as part of a ‘collaborative post’ on Instagram with a photographer, and one of the 20 photos shared featured the man wearing the guillotine T-shirt.
The words “We’re only making plans for Nigel” are the same as the lyrics of a 1979 song by band XTC.
Polanski admitted he had shared the post and immediately deleted it when he realised.
The Green Party also said: “He unequivocally does not support this type of dangerous message.”
Nigel Farage had called for Polanski to be arrested for reposting the image, while Reform’s home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf accused the Green Party leader of inciting murder.
The police has now concluded its investigation into Polanski’s social media post, and found that it was unlikely that sharing the image would constitute a criminal offence.
The Met Police said officers had considered telecommunications, public order and other offences, including incitement, in reaching this conclusion.
The Met has, however, that the wearing of the T-shirt should be recorded as a crime and has sent a crime report to Avon and Somerset police, which covers Bristol, where the photo was taken.
Despite the police having carried out an investigation into the post and found that it does not meet the threshold for criminal action, Reform are now claiming this is evidence of two-tier policing.
The term has several meanings, but Reform uses it to suggest that people on the left are policed less harshly than those on the right.
In a post on X, Yusuf wrote: “PROOF of two tier policing in Britain.
“Just imagine if it had been the other way round.”
Tory defector Nadhim Zahawi repeated the claim of “two-tier policing”.
“Watch Reform cry two tier police, when in reality it was all a waste of their time,” Curtis Daly, founder of Turn Left Media, wrote on X.
Another social media user wrote: “It’s not two tier policing. You’re all just so desperate for outrage.
“Childish and should be nowhere near power.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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