Met Commissioner Rowley Defends Golders Green Officers After Green Party Criticism Over Arrest

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has publicly defended his officers' conduct following the Golders Green knife attack, after Green Party co-leader Zack Polanski reposted criticism regarding the arrest. Two officers deployed a Taser and subsequently kicked Essa Suleiman, 45, in the head while attempting to disarm him after he allegedly stabbed Shloime Rand, 34, and Moshe Shine, 76, on Wednesday morning.

Mr Polanski had reposted a message on X, which asserted, "Essentially his officers were repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head when he was already incapacitated by Taser."

Sir Mark responded in a letter to Mr Polanski, expressing his "disappointment" that the politician had amplified "inaccurate and misinformed commentary." The Commissioner stated that the officers, who were unarmed, feared the suspect might possess an explosive device. Even after being Tasered, Suleiman reportedly "refused to show his hands, was violent and continued to pose a clear threat."

Body-worn camera footage released by the Met shows officers repeatedly instructing the suspect to "get down on the ground" before the Taser deployment, and then to "drop the knife." This footage emerged after social media videos showed the arrest, depicting officers striking Suleiman multiple times in the head during the struggle for the weapon.

A Green Party spokesperson stated, "Zack has seen the video like everyone else - and doesn't know the full picture and knows it was a very difficult situation for the authorities - but we do need to understand more about the response." Sir Mark suggested the original critic was likely an "armchair critic" rather than an eyewitness, praising his officers as "extraordinary" for their swift actions that "undoubtedly prevented further injury and saved lives." He described apprehending dangerous criminals as a "full contact and messy task which may appear shocking to observers with little experience of policing in the real world."

Suleiman remains in police custody on suspicion of attempted murder. The Met has formally declared the incident a terrorist attack, noting the suspect's history of serious violence and mental health issues, and his alleged involvement in a separate incident in south-east London the preceding day.