The Met Police will not prosecute Green Party leader Zack Polanski for sharing a photo of a T-shirt depicting Nigel Farage's execution. While the sharing of the image was deemed non-criminal, the police have referred the act of wearing the garment to Bristol authorities.
The 18th image in a 20-slide Instagram gallery
The controversy began when Zack Polanski shared a collaborative Instagram post consisting of 20 different images. According to the report, the 18th image in the sequence featured a man wearing a black T-shirt that displayed a guillotine and the text, "We're only making plans for Nigel." The post sparked immediate backlash , leading Nigel Farage to call for the Green Party leader's arrest and Reform UK's Zia Yusuf to accuse Polanski of inciting murder.
During an appearance on BBC Newsnight, Zack Polanski defended his actions by claiming the post was a collaboration with a photographer and that he had not scrutinized every image before accepting it. Polanski stated he was "horrified" by the message and removed the post as soon as he became aware of the content, describing the incident as an "inadvertent mistake."
Why 130 Instagram accounts avoided criminal investigation
The Met Police concluded that the act of sharing the image online did not meet the threshold for a criminal offense. As the Met Police stated, officers reviewed potential breaches of public order and telecommunications laws, as well as incitement, but found that prosecution was unlikely to be successful.
Furthermore, the Met Police noted that the image had been shared by approximately 130 other accounts through reposts or collaborations. The force determined that conducting a full-scale investigation into every individual and organization that shared the image would be "disproportionate" and an unreasonable use of police resources, especially since the primary actor, Zack Polanski, had already removed the content .
The Bristol T-shirt case and Avon and Somerset Police
While the digital sharing of the image was dismissed ,the Met Police determined that a crime should be recorded regarding the physical wearing of the T-shirt. Because the event where the garment was worn took place in Bristol, the Met Police have transferred the case to the Avon and Somerset Police for further investigation.
This distinction creates a legal divide between the expression of a sentiment via social media sharing and the public display of a garment that could be interpreted as inciting violence. the transfer ensures that the local jurisdiction where the alleged offense occurred handles the criminal proceedings against the wearer .
The Met Police's acknowledgment of increasing threats toward politicians
This incident occurs against a backdrop of heightened tension in British politics. The Met Police explicitly noted that they understand the public reaction to the image, specifically citing the context of "increasing threats towards politicians" across the United Kingdom.
The force emphasized that the safety of individuals in public life is a priority and that they will continue to investigate evidence of offenses. However, in this specific instance, the legal threshold for "incitement" was not met by the act of sharing a third-party photograph, regardless of the public profile of the individuals involved.
The missing identity of the photographer and the shirt's creator
Despite the police conclusion, several key details remain unverified. The report does not name the photographer who collaborated with Zack Polanski, nor does it identify who designed or produced the T-shirt featuring the guillotine. It remains unclear whether the garment was a piece of political art, a targeted provocation, or a product sold commercially to a wider audience.
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