NationStates Jolt Archive

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 is preparing to hand 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.

A phalanx of officers, some with dogs and some in riot gear, are close behind him and try to urge him forward.

A Metropolitan police officer appears to strike him with a baton, hitting him from behind on his upper thigh.

Moments later, the same policeman rushes forward and, using both hands, pushes Tomlinson in the back and sends him flying to the ground, where he remonstrates with police who stand back, leaving bystanders to help him to his feet.

The man who shot the footage, a fund manager from New York who was in London on business, said: "The primary reason for me coming forward is that it was clear the family were not getting any answers."

The Guardian's dossier also includes a sequence of photographs, taken by three different people, showing the aftermath of the attack, as well as witness statements from people in the area at the time.

A number of witnesses provided time and date-stamped photographs that substantiate their accounts.

Some said they saw police officers attack Tomlinson.

Witnesses said that, prior to the moment captured on video, he had already been hit with batons and thrown to the floor by police who blocked his route home.

[Source (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/07/video-g20-police-assault)]
Now, there's undoubtedly going to be a lot of speculation in this thread, and it's true that we don't have footage prior to the recording, but at the very least it seems the police handled the incident terribly.

The Met has already been under scrutiny for what (http://london.indymedia.org.uk/videos/993) appears (http://london.indymedia.org.uk/articles/1068) to be a rather brute handling of G20 peaceful protesters, and their official statement of what happened to Mr. Tomlinson (to quote the Guardian again) makes "no reference to any contact with officers and simply described attempts by police medics and an ambulance crew to save his life after he collapsed – efforts they said were marred by protesters throwing missiles as first aid was administered". The accusation of a "barrage of missiles" has been questioned.

All in all, an ugly business.

Aye, cops are shitty no matter where you are.

I'm in no way going to defend the police where a guy gets assaulted by a riot officer, from behind, while walking away, apparently minding his own business.

Having said that this: was attacked from behind and thrown to the ground is a bit of an exaggeration in my opinion. I was expecting him to have been manhandled to the ground, beaten around the head by several riot police and be battered and bloody.

He was pushed in the back, which caused him to be propelled forward and then onto the ground. Journalism, pfff.

Edit: But yeh, a huge overreaction from the police on the ground and someone should faces charges for this.

I'm in no way going to defend the police where a guy gets assaulted by a riot officer, from behind, while walking away, apparently minding his own business.

Having said that this: is a bit of an exaggeration in my opinion. I was expecting him to have been manhandled to the ground, beaten around the head by several riot police and be battered and bloody.

He was pushed in the back, which caused him to be propelled forward and then onto the ground. Journalism, pfff.

Edit: But yeh, a huge overreaction from the police on the ground and someone should faces charges for this.

Also, not sure that he was just walking, minding his own business. You can't hear properly, but it kind of looked like he was mouthing off the officers as well, and deliberately walking slowly.

That Climate Camp video is showing. Even whiny hippies don't deserve that.

Also, not sure that he was just walking, minding his own business. You can't hear properly, but it kind of looked like he was mouthing off the officers as well, and deliberately walking slowly.
I'd probably be mouthing off too if I was trying to get home and the police repeatedly attacked me. The footage is apparently filmed after Tomlinson had already been thrown to the ground and hit with batons up the road.

Moreover, even if this was the first incident and Tomlinson was mouthing off, that's hardly an excuse for the actions of the police depicted. A baton to the calves isn't exactly a proportionate response.


That Climate Camp video is showing. Even whiny hippies don't deserve that.
The riot shields being used as weapons are rather telling.

The riot shields being used as weapons is rather telling.

Especially when most of the crowd have their hands about their heads, and are not causing any trouble.

Aye, cops are shitty no matter where you are.

Uh, no.

They went in heavy-handed on the Countryside Alliance's big protest, a few years ago, too...

Uh, no.

Really? You deny that police abuse happens everywhere?

Really? You deny that police abuse happens everywhere?

I would say that police abuse can happen anywhere, but it does not happen everywhere. There are substantially more good and restrained police officers than there are shitty, unhinged officers.

I would say that police abuse can happen anywhere, but it does not happen everywhere.
I stand by what I said and perhaps wasnt clear about- There are shitty cops everywhere.
There are substantially more good and restrained police officers than there are shitty, unhinged officers.
I dont know about that.

I stand by what I said and perhaps wasnt clear about- There are shitty cops everywhere.

Fine and dandy.

I dont know about that.

I do.

I do.

Everywhere?

Everywhere?
*(looks around)*
Nope.

Also, not sure that he was just walking, minding his own business. You can't hear properly, but it kind of looked like he was mouthing off the officers as well, and deliberately walking slowly.

I agree.....he did seem to be holding the police up when they were trying to disperse the crowd

I also saw the second part of the video when the police were trying to treat him. Some nice person decided to lob a bottle at them - nice people:(

I don't think the police will face any action - hell, they couldn't even successfully prosecute when they shot someone in the head 7 times on a packed tube train

That said, my condolences go to his family, and I hope some lessons ARE learned about good crowd control

As an update:


Britain's police watchdog today reversed its decision to allow police to investigate the death of Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests in London last week after watching Guardian video footage of a baton-wielding officer attacking him.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission will appoint its own investigators to conduct a full criminal inquiry into whether Tomlinson was assaulted by police and whether that attack contributed to his death.

The IPCC has ordered a second postmortem examination, which aims to provide medical evidence as to what caused the death of the newspaper seller. The first attributed his death to natural causes.

...

There had been intense pressure on the IPCC to use its powers to conduct an independent investigation. Brian Paddick, a former deputy assistant commissioner at the Metropolitan police, demanded that police be removed from the case and said any officer who struck the innocent passerby could face a manslaughter charge.

He said the officers from the City of London force would be key witnesses in the investigation.

Paddick told the Guardian: "How can the City of London do the investigation independently? I'm sorry but there are three City of London officers in that video, how can they do the investigation? It certainly needs to be a full-blown criminal investigation … [into] whether there is a provable link between the death and assault, because an assault is a criminal offence. Police are allowed to use force, provided it is justified."

Paddick refused to comment on whether the police actions in the video were justified, but said the officer seen striking Tomlinson could potentially face a charge of manslaughter, for which the maximum penalty is life imprisonment. "If it is held that there is a link between the violence he [the officer] was inflicting and the heart attack [suffered by Tomlinson], that then is an assault, resulting in death, albeit unintended. If a court held it is an assault, it is an unlawful action resulting in manslaughter," he said.

[Source (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/08/ian-tomlinson-video-inquiry-ipcc)]
I'd hope for a completely independent investigation.


I also saw the second part of the video when the police were trying to treat him. Some nice person decided to lob a bottle at them - nice people

Could you post a link to said video, I have heard much about this "barrage of missiles" as the police called it, but little actual evidence.

Could you post a link to said video, I have heard much about this "barrage of missiles" as the police called it, but little actual evidence.

Thats because it didn't happen. Heres new footage of the blows being struck by the cops
http://www.channel4.com/news/index.jsp


The full bulletin has footage which shows the ambulance that arrived when he later collapsed being allowed in and out unhindered.

Whatever happened to the good ol' days, where police brutality was just against minorities? What's with this color-blind police brutality?

Whatever happened to the good ol' days, where police brutality was just against minorities? What's with this color-blind police brutality?

It's political correction gone mad, that's what it is! Someone should write a letter to Littlejohn..

It's political correction gone mad, that's what it is! Someone should write a letter to Littlejohn..
And have Johan Hari deliver it.

(Awesome avatar, btw.)

The whole damn thing was entrapment. They refused to allow anyone to leave the protest for hours, (Not even reporters) and then when it got bad (Duh they locked them in) they come in rampaging.

And then whoever wasn't beat half to death or arrested were forced to give all personal information before being alllowed to leave, and they were photographed.

Whole thing was wrong.

it does look like he's saying something to the officers, but even that doesn't deserve an attack from behind.

I stand by what I said and perhaps wasnt clear about- There are shitty cops everywhere.
which is different than what you posted earlier...
Aye, cops are shitty no matter where you are.

it does look like he's saying something to the officers, but even that doesn't deserve an attack from behind.

Probably something along the lines of -"Don't taze me bro".

The police were very accomodating, they hit him with a baton instead.

Probably something along the lines of -"Don't taze me bro".

The police were very accomodating, they hit him with a baton instead.

Ah... so he did ask for it. :tongue:

If this man's life was the property of the state, then we wouldn't have this whole ethical problem on our hands.

If this man's life was the property of the state, then we wouldn't have this whole ethical problem on our hands.

Or if his life was privately owned by someone.

Or if his life was privately owned by someone.
Yes then it could be just be sold as a commodity on the market and that's the end of that.

ban thinking

Further evidence that you can trust the police not to abuse their power.