Zack Polanski, the Jewish leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, was confronted in the street by a local Jewish resident challenging him over comments he made questioning whether Jewish fears of antisemitism amounted to a “perception of unsafety” or a genuine threat — remarks that have drawn mounting criticism in the days since a terrorist stabbing targeted two Jewish men in north London.
The exchange, filmed in Hastings and widely shared online, shows a man challenging Polanski directly over his earlier remarks. “Was yesterday’s attack on the Jewish community a perception of unsafety?” the man asked repeatedly as Polanski walked away without responding. The confronter, who has been linked to the group Sussex Friends of Israel, went on to call Polanski a “weasel,” adding: “You’re supposed to be Jewish.”
The clip has divided opinion sharply, drawing support from right-leaning commentators while others have described the exchange as harassment.
The confrontation comes in the wake of the Golders Green terror attack on 29 April, in which Essa Suleiman, 45, stabbed two visibly Orthodox Jewish men — aged 34 and 76 — in a targeted attack that police declared a terrorist incident. Both victims survived. Polanski described the attack as “horrendous,” but critics argued that his previous comments had already undermined his credibility on the issue.
Those comments, made in the context of rising antisemitic incidents including arson attacks on synagogues and assaults on Jewish ambulance service Hatzolah, saw Polanski suggest there was “a conversation to be had about whether it’s a perception of unsafety or whether it’s actual unsafety” — while stating that neither was acceptable. Jewish organisations and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer were among those who criticised the remarks for appearing to cast doubt on the scale of a threat that Jewish communities say is very real.
Polanski faced further criticism after sharing a social media post that accused Metropolitan Police officers of “repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head” following the Golders Green arrest. Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley publicly condemned the post, saying it undermined his officers and amplified misinformation. Polanski subsequently deleted the post and apologised, saying he had acted in haste and wished to “lower the temperature.”
Polanski, who was elected Green Party leader in 2025, has spoken publicly about his Jewish heritage and has previously condemned antisemitism while drawing a distinction between hatred of Jewish people and criticism of Israeli government policy. His supporters argue that he takes the issue seriously and that attacks on him are politically motivated. Critics, however, contend that his comments have minimised genuine and documented dangers facing Jewish communities at a time of sharply rising antisemitic incidents across the UK.
