A Green Party candidate’s vetting process is under scrutiny after a resident demanded that leader Zack Polanski explain how Brian Capaloff was selected for a ward in Waltham Forest, following allegations of antisemitic social media posts. The resident has called for Polanski to confirm whether Capaloff will be removed as a candidate, detail the selection procedure, and provide assurances that the other 52 Green Party candidates in the borough were subjected to more rigorous checks. Polanski has also been urged to set out the changes he would make to prevent a recurrence.
Demands for answers
The demands were made in the wake of allegations uncovered by Jewish News, which reported that Capaloff, standing for Hale End and Highams Park South ward, had posted incendiary comments on social media, allegedly under a pseudonymous X account, @cOcteau8. One post from 30 April 2026 speculated whether the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green was a “false flag event” orchestrated by “authoritarian and extremist Zionists”, comparing it to the Reichstag fire. The same account shared a post alleging that recent attacks on synagogues were part of a coordinated effort to stage fake antisemitic attacks. Another post, responding to anti-Israel protesters in Cork, Ireland, approvingly referenced a banner stating: “Close Down Auschwitz Genocide In Gaza Is The New Holocaust.” Jewish News said it had seen evidence that Capaloff identified himself as the owner of the account in April 2021, and that replies to posts frequently referenced his name. An Instagram account with Capaloff’s profile photo under the name “Cocteau8” was also found, containing anti-Zionist content. Capaloff blocked Jewish News after being approached for comment. The Golders Green stabbing, which saw two Jewish men attacked, led to the UK terrorism threat level being raised to “severe” and heightened concerns about antisemitism.
Vetting process in the spotlight
The controversy has focused attention on how the Green Party selects local election candidates. The party’s highly decentralised structure gives local parties considerable power in candidate selection, with no nationally binding rules in place for the process. Instead, only non-binding guidance is issued. Zack Polanski has admitted that vetting local candidates has been a “real challenge”. The process can be lengthy, and time pressures ahead of election deadlines sometimes lead to less rigorous checks, such as using show-of-hands votes. The party also fields so-called “non-target” or “paper candidates” in areas where winning is unlikely, to increase visibility, and these candidates may not face the same level of campaigning or scrutiny.
Capaloff is not the only Green Party candidate to face such allegations. In Waltham Forest and beyond, several others have been investigated or suspended. Sabine Mairey and Saiqa Ali were arrested on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred online due to alleged antisemitic social media posts; Ali has been suspended, while Mairey is being investigated. Joe Belcher, a candidate in Walsall, was suspended after posting suggestions that Hamas might have been paid by Israel for the October 7 attacks. Tina Ion, standing in Newcastle, faced scrutiny for posts calling for “every single Zionist” to be killed and referring to “Zionists” as “vermin”. Mark Adderley, a candidate for Croydon Council, posted a conspiracy theory that Benjamin Netanyahu “works for Jeffrey Epstein”. Chandni Chopra, standing for Newcastle City Council, argued the October 7 attack was justified. Aziz Hakimi claimed “Zionists and Dick Cheney did 9/11” and that the Golders Green ambulance attack was a false flag. The Green Party has confirmed it is investigating these candidates. A party spokesperson said: “Where there are examples brought to our attention that do not align with the values of the Green party, we are looking into them, and in some cases candidates have already been suspended.”
Party response and planned changes
Polanski, who is Jewish, has disowned candidates making antisemitic comments, saying such remarks “disgust” him. He also apologised for sharing a tweet in haste that criticised police actions following the Golders Green stabbing. However, he rejects the idea that the Green Party has a particular problem with antisemitism compared to wider society or other political parties. Former Green leader Caroline Lucas has called for immediate action against candidates making antisemitic comments. The party has faced criticism for what some see as a sluggish response to allegations, with a perception that antisemitism is a “feature, not a bug” within the party at this stage. The Green Party of England and Wales formally adopted guidance on antisemitism in October 2021, incorporating both the IHRA definition and the Jerusalem Declaration. In a move that has drawn controversy, the party has also established a “support group” for candidates facing allegations, which some have described as “smears”, including those related to antisemitism. The group aims to provide support to members facing media scrutiny over comments about Israel and Jewish people. Polanski has acknowledged the need to strengthen vetting procedures, and the resident’s demand for a clear set of changes reflects broader concerns about how the party ensures its candidates meet its values. The Waltham Forest Green Party has a crowdfunding campaign underway to support councillors being elected in the upcoming May local elections, where the Hale End and Highams Park South ward will be contested.
