The Liberal Democrats are demanding a criminal inquiry after video footage of the G20 protest showed a police officer pushing over a man who later died.
Newspaper vendor Ian Tomlinson, 47, who was walking home from work, suffered a heart attack afterwards outside the Bank of England in central London.
Lib Dem justice spokesman David Howarth said the footage showed a “sickening and unprovoked attack” by police.
The IPCC is investigating and said it would examine the footage.
Here’s Lib Dem shadow justice secretary David Howarth’s statement on the Guardian video showing a policeman attacking Mr Tomlinson shortly before he died:
This video clearly shows an unprovoked attack by a police officer on a passer by. It is sickening. There must be a full-scale criminal investigation. The officer concerned and the other officers shown in the video must immediately come forward. Questions must also be asked about the hyping up of the prospect of violence in the run up to the demonstrations. An atmosphere was created in which this sort of conduct became more likely.”
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9 Comments
Good to see we are leading the way on this. It is indeed a very disturbing video. The blogosphere has gone stratospheric about this today. I have made my contribution here.
Hi, my email has gone down otherwise would have contacted LDV editors direct, planning on launching a fully organise campaign to stop disproportionate force and violence being used by police against peaceful protestors and bystanders.
If you are interested email me on
[email protected]
Andy May
p.s news an updates as I get it from human rights organisations, MP’s and the campaign group which is forming will be posted to my group
Please, please, please link this group yours blogs, will be setting up a website and press distribution list shortly.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=60467068334
Everyone – including the Home Secretary – accepts that a criminal investigation may be needed in this case. Green Jenny Jones was on N24 last night but was not identified as a Green AM for some reason. Perhaps that was her choice. I don’t know.
Howarth was on BBCN24 live and although he said this was assault he actually called for the investigation to be moved up to highest IPCC level, not for an immediate criminal investigation. His formal call (in a letter) for an investigation, he said, related to the Climate demo.
I’m not sure why either the Lib Dems or the media are describing the calls for an investigation as a Lib Dem initiative. That smacks of unpleasant and misplaced party political opportunism. Which party doesn’t want an investigation?
Some of the posing coppers pictures remind me of Lynndie in Abu Graib. And I think the clown Boris Johnson is now spiralling out of control. He’s a very naughty boy and out of his depth.
Come on Chris, parties don’t wait to confirm exclusivity for publicly calling for anything. If they support something and it’s in the news, they’ll run with it. If there’s one thing Cowley Street cannot be accused of, it’s cunning media manipulation (!)
With regards to your last para – what’s BoJo actually done wrong (in this case)?
Hi Chris please note the campaign I have set up is for people of all political persuasions who want to stop disproportionate violence by police against peaceful protest.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=60467068334
Julian,
What BoJo has “done wrong” is in sending his Deputy Chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) Kit Malthouse to meet the IPCC to discuss an inquiry.
It should be Boris as Chair of the MPA who is at this meeting. Boris should be demanding some action from the Met’s Commissioner too. If it means Boris missing the deadline for his £250K per year Telegraph column then so be it.
I do not see that Boris has to go himself.
If a deputy can get the job done, why not?
There is something deeply depressing about the latest Lib Dem ploy. In response to the exposure of certain Labour peers in respect of their “consultancies”, the Lib Dems have “called for a police inquiry”