Sussex Police will take no further action over antizionist chants at the Green Party’s annual conference in Brighton last month, after Labour MPs called on officers to investigate whether activists had encouraged hostility towards Jews.
The force said it had completed its enquiries into chants of “say it loud, say it clear, Zionists are not welcome here”, which were heard after delegates voted to adopt a controversial motion declaring “Zionism is racism”.
In a statement, Sussex Police said: “All necessary enquiries have been undertaken, and we are satisfied that no evidence of criminality has been identified and no further action is required.”
The force added that its major crime team had considered the complaint in consultation with relevant partners to ensure it was assessed in accordance with the law.
Former Home Office minister Mike Tapp was among the Labour MPs who asked police to examine whether the language used at the conference could amount to incitement to hostility against Jewish people.
In a letter to the force, the MPs asked officers to establish who had participated in the chanting, whether anyone had been directly targeted and whether the circumstances warranted a criminal investigation.
They also questioned whether the term “Zionist” had been used as a proxy for Jewish people.
Responding to the police decision, Tapp said: “I respect the police decision and thank them for assessing the complaint.
“It is important as politicians that we continue to call out racism and antisemitism. All political parties should be accessible to all minority groups; that is our democracy.”
The police decision relates to the chants alone and does not resolve separate complaints concerning the Green Party’s newly adopted policy, which are being examined by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
The motion was passed at the party’s Brighton conference on October 4 by 1,022 votes to 813, despite opposition from several senior Green figures. It describes Zionism as racism and calls for a “single democratic Palestinian state” across the territory of Israel and Palestine.
The policy prompted an immediate backlash, with Jewish members expressing fears that the policy could leave them unwelcome in a party of which they had long been part.
Sir Ephraim Mirvis, the Chief Rabbi, has condemned the motion as “poisonous antisemitism”, while political leaders across the spectrum have raised concerns about its implications for Jewish people and the party’s position on Israel.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who is Jewish, did not attend the vote. He subsequently said he would not have supported the motion without amendments. Under party rules, the policy cannot be amended for 18 months.
A Green Party spokesman said it would “not discriminate against or exclude people for holding Zionist views”, adding that it remained committed to combating antisemitism and ensuring Jewish members felt welcome and respected.
The motion has deepened divisions within the party, with hundreds of members reportedly leaving and former leader Caroline Lucas criticising Polanski’s decision to miss the vote.
The dispute has also escalated beyond the party, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats threatening to distance themselves from Green councillors who continue to support the motion.
Tapp has separately referred the policy to the EHRC, asking the watchdog to investigate whether it could result in unlawful discrimination against Jewish members. The Campaign Against Antisemitism has also lodged a complaint.
The EHRC has written to the Green Party seeking further information about the policy’s “practical implications and potential impact”.
The watchdog’s consideration of the matter is separate from the police assessment of the conference chants.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party has instructed local councillors to reconsider power-sharing arrangements with Green colleagues who do not reject the policy, while Prime Minister Andy Burnham has ruled out broader cooperation unless the party changes course.
Green councillors in Sheffield have faced particular scrutiny over their response to the motion, raising questions about the stability of the local administration.
The Liberal Democrats have also ruled out a national coalition with the Greens while the policy remains in place, although party leader Sir Ed Davey has left decisions on local arrangements to individual councils.
To get more Politics news, click here to sign up for our free politics newsletter.