Green Party leader Zack Polanski faced hostile questioning and heckling from furious residents during a Jewish community hustings for the Holborn and St Pancras byelection on September 24, 2026. The confrontation erupted when Polanski reiterated his characterization of the war in Gaza as a genocide and declared himself an anti-Zionist, telling the North London audience that countries are merely ideas that change over time.
Green Leader Zack Polanski Heckled at Holborn and St Pancras Hustings
According to reports from the event hosted by the Board of Deputies, the audience responded with immediate boos and jeers. Polanski further inflamed tensions by claiming that attendees who disagreed with his stance on Gaza were making themselves less safe. His remarks followed previous public comments in which he asserted that Jewish people only perceive themselves to be unsafe.
https://x.com/RichardOsley/status/2103236809505255588
Journalist Hadley Freeman of The Times questioned the Green leader directly during the hustings, pressing him on those previous safety remarks. While Polanski ignored a separate, absurd line of questioning from the floor regarding physical appearance raised during the chaotic exchange, audience members kept up the pressure, shouting out reminders as the debate deteriorated.
The clashes set the stage for Polanski to formally confirm his support for a forthcoming Green Party conference motion declaring that “Zionism is racism.” The controversial motion topped the ballot for debate at the party’s upcoming gathering in Brighton, sitting alongside additional party motions addressing gender identity and the definition of a woman.
