THE police should not be above scrutiny, Zack Polanski has said, amid a political furore over a post he shared about officers’ behaviour during the Golders Green stabbings.

The Green Party leader also hit out at Metropolitan Police chief Sir Mark Rowley – who wrote an open letter criticising the politician over the repost – saying the commissioner’s move was not “an appropriate way to do politics.”

Mr Polanski retweeted an X post which accused officers of kicking the suspect in the north-west London attack in the head after he had already been incapacitated.

He has faced criticism, including from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who branded him “disgraceful” and “not fit to lead any political party.”

Mr Polanski told Sky News: “I think you can both recognise the bravery of officers who run towards incidents that most of us, including myself, would certainly want to run away from – and find the appropriate forum to say that no-one, especially the police, should be above scrutiny.

“The reason why I’ve apologised is I accept that wasn’t the appropriate forum.”

Cabinet minister Heidi Alexander said today that she could see herself kicking the suspect in the attack if she were a police officer.

Mr Polanski was also drawn into the debate around chanting “globalise the intifada” at demonstrations, saying he is “not interested” in policing language.

It comes after the Prime Minister said protesters have a responsibility to call out chanters of the phrase at Gaza marches.

Mr Polanski said: “Words matter, but the tens of thousands of Palestinians who have been murdered, the people in Lebanon who have been killed, these people matter too and I think if people want to protest, that it’s important we defend their right to.”