𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

His intervention prompted the head of the force, Sir Mark Rowley, to rebuke him in a letter. On Friday, Mr Polanski said: “Everyone in leadership has a responsibility for lowering the temperature at a time of such tension, and I apologise for sharing a tweet in haste.

“Police responses to emergency situations such as these do need later reflection in the right forums, but I accept that social media is not the appropriate channel for doing so.

“I have invited Mark Rowley to meet with me to discuss the police response and the wider issues raised in his letter.”

The X post shared by Mr Polanski accused police of “repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head” when he was already incapacitated from being tasered.

But in a strongly worded letter, Sir Mark said he was “disappointed” and that the post was “inaccurate and misinformed”.

He added: “Your decision to criticise these officers, using your public profile and reach, will have a chilling effect.”