The Metropolitan Police has said no further action will be taken against Green Party leader Zack Polanski over a social media post about Nigel Farage that Reform UK said was “an incitement to murder”.
Mr Polanksi had been reported to police on Monday by Reform leader Mr Farage after sharing an image on social media depicting a man wearing a black T-shirt with a picture of a guillotine and the words: “We’re only making plans for Nigel.”
He had called for Mr Polanski’s arrest, with his home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf accusing the Green leader of “inciting murder”.
A Met spokesperson has said the force was “conducting inquiries” and took “reports of this nature extremely seriously”.
But in a statement on Wednesday, the Met said it would not be pursuing the case as “an extensive investigation was deemed to be disproportionate and not a reasonable use of police resources”.
The force said a crime should be recorded in relation to the wearing of the T-shirt, and as that happened in Bristol, the case has been transferred to Avon and Somerset Police to consider what further action should follow.
Reform UK condemned the decision to not take further action against Mr Polanski saying: “Once again we see that we are living in two-tier Britain.”
A Met Police spokesperson said:“We absolutely understand the reaction to this image being shared online, particularly in the context of increasing threats towards politicians.
“We take the safety and security of those in public life, including politicians, very seriously. Where we identify threats we take appropriate action and where there is evidence of offences we will investigate.
“While there will be people who will argue that those who shared the image in this Instagram post should be subject to criminal action, our review has concluded that on this occasion, the threshold is not met.
“We have spoken with those impacted to explain that decision making and to provide reassurance around our ongoing commitment to their security and the additional support available.”
Mr Polanski earlier said he made an “inadvertent mistake” over sharing the image but refused to apologise to Mr Farage.
Mr Polanski told BBC Newsnight on Tuesday evening that the police had not been in contact with him, adding that he “didn’t pay enough attention to the T-shirt” and was “horrified” by its “dangerous message”.
The Green Party leader said: “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.
“As soon as I was aware of what happened, I unaccepted it and took it down.
“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.
“That being said, if the police do want to talk to me, of course I’m very happy to co-operate.”
Mr Polanski said he would not be apologising to Mr Farage, adding: “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 it’s a mistake, that I also make sure that I condemn political violence, and also crucially, I make a commitment to be better on my social media.”
He added: “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.”
A Reform UK source told BBC Newsnight: “It’s truly astonishing and quite frankly sickening that Zack Polanski won’t apologise for inciting murder.
“He admits it was wrong. He admits it’s dangerous, but he still refuses to apologise.
“Mr Polanski is not fit to lead a national political party.”
Writing in the Daily Mail, Mr Farage said the Green Party leader “must face the consequences of his appalling decisions”.
He wrote: “Political violence is real. It is serious. It needs dealing with.”
Asked about the row on Tuesday, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said there was “a duty on all politicians to be careful about what they post”, especially in light of the death of former MP Ann Widdecombe earlier this month.
Mr McFadden told Sky News people could “make mistakes” and it was for the police to decide if any action was needed.
He added: “It’s not the first time Zack Polanski has done something like this.”
Mr Polanski has previously been criticised over his use of social media.
In May, he apologised for sharing a post criticising the police response to the Golders Green stabbings, saying he had done so “in haste”.
Mr Polanksi is also the subject of a conduct complaint by Reform UK members on the London Assembly.
