Met chief tells Zack Polanski ‘arresting violent criminals is a messy task’

Caption: moment golders green suspect is tasered and arrested by police

The Met’s highest ranking officer has defended the arrest of the Golders Green stabbing suspect after police were seen stomping on his head.

Leader of the Greens Zack Polanski had retweeted a post criticising police for ‘repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head when he was already incapacitated by taser’.

It was referring to the arrest of the Golders Green terror suspect which saw officers trying to get him to drop a knife.

Sir Mark Rowley wrote to Zack Polanski in an open letter: ‘Those officers are nothing short of extraordinary. They were on the scene within a few minutes, and their actions undoubtedly prevented further injury and saved lives.

‘As I said yesterday the officers confronted a dangerous man, they believed to be a terrorist, who refused to show his hands, who was violent, and who continued to pose a clear threat. They were not armed officers, and they feared he was concealing an explosive device.

‘Using only their training, equipment and a substantial level of bravery and courage, they detained him while he continued to try and attack and stab them. Without their efforts to stop him I dread to think what the outcome could have been.

‘Apprehending violent and dangerous criminals is a full contact and messy task which may appear shocking to observers with little experience of policing in the real world.’

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