Video reveals G20 police assault on man who died

[FieldDiscipline]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/07/video-g20-police-assault

Exclusive footage obtained by the Guardian shows Ian Tomlinson, who died during G20 protests in London, was attacked from behind by baton–wielding police officer

Dramatic footage obtained by the Guardian shows that the man who died at last week's G20 protests in London was attacked from behind and thrown to the ground by a baton–wielding police officer in riot gear.

Moments after the assault on Ian Tomlinson was captured on video, he suffered a heart attack and died.

The Guardian has handed a dossier of evidence to the police complaints watchdog.

It sheds new light on the events surrounding the death of the 47-year-old newspaper seller, who had been on his way home from work when he was confronted by lines of riot police near the Bank of England.

The submission to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) includes a collection of testimonies from witnesses, along with the video footage, shot at around 7.20pm, which shows Tomlinson at Royal Exchange Passage.

The film reveals that as he walks, with his hands in his pockets, he does not speak to the police or offer any resistance.

 

[Andy Moynihan]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/07/video-g20-police-assault

Prayers for his family's peace and his murderers' undoing.

 

[MA-Caver]

On the one hand it's understandable that the police have NO idea who's who in that situation and/or who is a protester and who is a bystander who just happens to be there.
It is NOT understandable how they could just initiate the first move, granted that the man had his hands in his pockets and the police don't know if he's is or isn't concealing something but they still didn't need to go "that far".
It seemed that words were exchanged between Tomlinson and the police prior to one of them shoving him down to the ground. We probably won't know what was said between them.
It's too bad that the cop who shoved Tomlinson had his face covered and couldn't be readily identified for prosecution or at least departmental discipline... if any.
I dunno if peaceable assembly is allowed in England... I imagine that it is and thus folks were just gathered to show solidarity in protesting the G20. Yet of course there are going to be the wild-cards in the crowd who will go "too far" and the riot is started putting everyone in danger.
It's when people are not allowed lawful assembly is when we need to really start worrying...

Found on You Tube interview with two witnesses to the incident.
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Prayers go to Tomlinson's family from over here as well. :asian:

 

[FieldDiscipline]

Interesting video MA-Caver.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7990423.stm

G20 police 'yet to come forward'

How that fills me with confidence. IIRC an inquiry in the past stated that it was utterly unacceptable for riot police to hide their markings.

I'm all for robust policing in the right time and place, but this is well out of line. The map on that link is interesting.

I dont know about our rights to assembly etc, however:

Under European human rights' laws the police are required to actively protect the public's right to peaceful protest

Policing during a protest, therefore, is a negotiation between the rights of police to use reasonable force to protect the public, and their responsibility to allow peaceful protest to take place

Protect the public. Indeed.

Its incredible that he has hidden behind that uniform, and even now has failed to come forward!

 

[blindsage]

Interesting video MA-Caver.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7990423.stm



How that fills me with confidence. IIRC an inquiry in the past stated that it was utterly unacceptable for riot police to hide their markings.

I'm all for robust policing in the right time and place, but this is well out of line. The map on that link is interesting.

I dont know about our rights to assembly etc, however:



Protect the public. Indeed.

Its incredible that he has hidden behind that uniform, and even now has failed to come forward!

Are we reading the same article? Did they maybe update the article? The link takes me to an article title "G20 Probe Officer Comes Forward", and has these quotes:

The police officer thought to be shown in video footage of the G20 protest in London pushing a man who later died has come forward.

Deborah Glass, of the IPCC, explained..."At the moment the investigation is focused on identifying the officers in the footage. Several have already come forward and all efforts are being made to trace those who haven't."

 

[Tez3]

Sadly things like this will always happen because there's complete arseholes in every job, the real test is how it's dealt with and the guilty get punished. Hopefully that will happen.

 

[Flea]

My first response on seeing the video was ... "what a miserable coward that officer was to come up behind someone like that." (And yes, that may make me unpopular here, but that's my reaction.)

The more I think about it, it just amazes me that we live in a world where the whole thing was caught on tape, almost from end to end, and shot around the world instantaneously. I doubt the incident would have gotten any attention otherwise. It's gratifying that the officer had the maturity to come forward. It'll be interesting to know what his rationale was, and how the whole thing plays out.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

More and more, video will be used to punish police brutality, and clear those falsely accused of it. Both are good things, IMO.

 

[FieldDiscipline]

Blindsage, they changed it. It did say that he hadnt come forward!

Cheers BBC, way to make a guy look crazy!