Polanski refuses apology for guillotine image re-post, calls it mistake

Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, has repeatedly refused to apologize for re-posting a photograph of an individual wearing a t-shirt featuring a guillotine and the slogan "we're only making plans for Nigel." The image led to criticism from Reform UK, whose home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf, described it as an "incitement to murder" and reported Polanski to the Metropolitan Police.

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Well, 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 this was a mistake, that I also make sure that I condemn political violence, and also crucially I make a commitment to be better on social media.

Polanski, who quickly deleted the image, told BBC Newsnight that he would not apologize for what he termed an "inadvertent mistake." He accused Nigel Farage of amplifying the situation in a "fundamentally dishonest way." Polanski also stated that he condemns political violence and is committed to improving his social media conduct.

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You know as well as I do that as soon as I do that Nigel Farage would run all over social media saying he was correct about incitement to murder and this would all ramp up again. I think it's important that I draw a line and don't play his game... It is important that he's kept safe, it is important we condemn political violence, but I also recognise this as the political attack that it is.

When pressed for an apology a second time, Polanski declined, asserting that Farage had cropped the image to imply Polanski posted it himself, which he considered dishonest and exacerbating the issue. Polanski noted that he had received a death threat earlier that day and felt that Farage's framing put him in a dangerous position. He suggested that if Farage apologized for times he had endangered others, he might consider apologizing.

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If Nigel Farage wants to apologise for all the times that he's put other people in danger then I will be happy to make an apology.

Polanski explained that he did not read the slogan on the t-shirt when he accepted a request to collaborate with a photographer's Instagram account at an event, as he was focused on people partying. He only noticed the man's rainbow hat while scrolling. He expressed that it felt surreal to be discussing the matter with the police, believing it was obvious he had made an unintentional error. The Metropolitan Police have stated there is no update on the investigation.

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The ramping up of the language to say 'this is incitement to murder me' feels like that's also putting me in a dangerous spot.