The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has issued a sharply worded rebuke to Green Party leader Zack Polanski, accusing him of amplifying “misinformed” claims about officers who detained a suspect following the Golders Green stabbing.
Sir Mark Rowley said Mr Polanski’s reposting of allegations on social media amounted to an inaccurate portrayal of events and risked undermining officers who had been forced to act in a fast-moving and dangerous situation.
The row centres on a post shared by Mr Polanski on X, which suggested that officers had used excessive force during the arrest of a suspect after two Jewish men were stabbed in north London on Wednesday.
The victims, aged 76 and 34, were attacked in Golders Green at around 11.16 am after a man armed with a knife was seen running along the high street, allegedly attempting to stab members of the Jewish community. Both victims were taken to hospital in a stable condition.
The suspect was later arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following a rapid police response.
Golders Green has always been one of my favourite places in London- just 10 minutes drive from my home. It’s a calm, welcoming neighbourhood with a strong Jewish community, and seeing such a peaceful community come under attack again is truly heartbreaking 💔 pic.twitter.com/4lAdJNQ52j
— Meru (@MeruOnX) April 29, 2026
In a strongly worded intervention, Sir Mark defended the actions of officers on the ground, saying they had been confronted by a violent individual who was believed to pose a continuing threat.
Body-worn camera footage released by the Met shows officers confronting the suspect and ordering him to drop what appears to be a knife, before deploying a Taser when he failed to comply. The man is then brought to the ground and disarmed as officers move in to secure the weapon.
Sir Mark said the officers had arrived within minutes and acted in accordance with their training in what he described as a highly volatile and dangerous situation.
He said: “Those officers are nothing short of extraordinary. They were on the scene within a few minutes, and their actions undoubtedly prevented further injury and saved lives.”
He added that policing in such circumstances was “a full contact and messy task”, warning against what he described as “armchair criticism” from individuals without operational experience.
Addressing Mr Polanski directly, the Commissioner said he was “disappointed” by the repost, describing it as “inaccurate” and “misinformed”, and warning it risked having a “chilling effect” on officers making split-second decisions in life-threatening situations.
Sir Mark also cautioned against inflaming tensions in the aftermath of what he described as a terrorist incident, particularly given rising concern within London’s Jewish communities following a series of recent attacks.
“London’s Jewish communities are scared,” he said. “They expect our officers to act and protect them. That is exactly what our officers did yesterday.”
He urged political and community leaders to show restraint, arguing that public commentary should focus on lowering tensions and supporting cohesion rather than fuelling division.
The Commissioner said officers must remain accountable for the use of force, but insisted there were established processes in place to examine such decisions, rather than immediate public criticism on social media.
The incident has intensified debate over policing tactics, public commentary during active investigations, and the broader challenge of maintaining trust in law enforcement amid heightened security concerns.
For now, the Met is standing firmly behind its officers, insisting their intervention prevented further harm during a fast-moving and potentially deadly attack.
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