Jacqui D
04-15-2009, 06:43 PM
New G20 video shows woman being struck
Date: 15 April 2009
A fresh investigation into police conduct during the G20 protests was launched last night after video footage showed an officer hitting out at a woman during the summit.
Footage on the website YouTube showed an officer swiping at the female with his hand before apparently hitting her across the legs with a baton.
Scotland Yard said it was in the process of referring evidence to the Independent Police Complaints CoADVERTISEMENTmmission, which launched an inquiry last week into the death of Ian Tomlinson.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the matter raised "immediate concerns".
He said: "Once we were notified of this footage by a media agency this afternoon, we began to take steps to identify this officer and are currently in the process of referring the incident to the IPCC.
"Every officer is accountable under law, and fully aware of the scrutiny that their actions can be held open to. The decision to use force is made by the individual police officer, and they must account for that."
The short video, which was reported to police this afternoon, shows the woman and the officer shouting at each other before he hits out.
An IPCC spokeswoman said: "The IPCC has been made aware that the Metropolitan Police Service will be referring an incident to us following footage which has come to light this afternoon.
"As soon as we get the referral, we will look into it and decide the best way to progress an investigation into the actions of the officer involved."
Earlier the IPCC said it remained hopeful that fresh CCTV footage would help piece together Mr Tomlinson's final moments.
Investigators are trying to trace the 47-year-old newspaper seller's movements around the fringes of angry demonstrations outside the Bank of England.
Mr Tomlinson collapsed and died from a heart attack after clashing with police officers at least once as he walked home across the City.
A Metropolitan Police constable caught on camera hitting Mr Tomlinson with a baton and pushing him to the ground has been suspended from duty.
A spokeswoman for the IPCC said there are a number of public and private CCTV cameras in the streets around where Mr Tomlinson died. She said an earlier statement by the watchdog's chairman Nick Hardwick that "there is no CCTV footage" may not be accurate.
The spokesman said: "From the outset it has been a main line of our inquiry to recover all CCTV from the Corporation of London and from all private premises in the area.
"This work is ongoing and involves many hours of viewing and detailed analysis."
Mr Tomlinson died as more than 5,000 protesters converged on the City of London on April 1 to mark the G20 summit in Docklands.
Amateur video footage captured by a New York fund manager emerged showing him being pushed to the ground by a policeman.
Other photographs have also come to light of Mr Tomlinson apparently remonstrating with officers in a riot van in Lombard Street up to an hour earlier.
Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson said the images of Mr Tomlinson being struck "raised obvious concerns" over policing and the tactic of "kettling" demonstrators – penning them in – to prevent free movement.
Labour MP David Winnick has called on Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to make a statement about policing and said the latest footage strengthened his demand.
Mr Winnick, who sits on the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said: "Not only the unfortunate death that occurred, but what I consider to be outright police brutality which in my view can in no way be justified."
Last Updated: 15 April 2009 10:08 AM
Source: n/a
Location: Yorkshire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHkcxOTnS_4
Date: 15 April 2009
A fresh investigation into police conduct during the G20 protests was launched last night after video footage showed an officer hitting out at a woman during the summit.
Footage on the website YouTube showed an officer swiping at the female with his hand before apparently hitting her across the legs with a baton.
Scotland Yard said it was in the process of referring evidence to the Independent Police Complaints CoADVERTISEMENTmmission, which launched an inquiry last week into the death of Ian Tomlinson.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the matter raised "immediate concerns".
He said: "Once we were notified of this footage by a media agency this afternoon, we began to take steps to identify this officer and are currently in the process of referring the incident to the IPCC.
"Every officer is accountable under law, and fully aware of the scrutiny that their actions can be held open to. The decision to use force is made by the individual police officer, and they must account for that."
The short video, which was reported to police this afternoon, shows the woman and the officer shouting at each other before he hits out.
An IPCC spokeswoman said: "The IPCC has been made aware that the Metropolitan Police Service will be referring an incident to us following footage which has come to light this afternoon.
"As soon as we get the referral, we will look into it and decide the best way to progress an investigation into the actions of the officer involved."
Earlier the IPCC said it remained hopeful that fresh CCTV footage would help piece together Mr Tomlinson's final moments.
Investigators are trying to trace the 47-year-old newspaper seller's movements around the fringes of angry demonstrations outside the Bank of England.
Mr Tomlinson collapsed and died from a heart attack after clashing with police officers at least once as he walked home across the City.
A Metropolitan Police constable caught on camera hitting Mr Tomlinson with a baton and pushing him to the ground has been suspended from duty.
A spokeswoman for the IPCC said there are a number of public and private CCTV cameras in the streets around where Mr Tomlinson died. She said an earlier statement by the watchdog's chairman Nick Hardwick that "there is no CCTV footage" may not be accurate.
The spokesman said: "From the outset it has been a main line of our inquiry to recover all CCTV from the Corporation of London and from all private premises in the area.
"This work is ongoing and involves many hours of viewing and detailed analysis."
Mr Tomlinson died as more than 5,000 protesters converged on the City of London on April 1 to mark the G20 summit in Docklands.
Amateur video footage captured by a New York fund manager emerged showing him being pushed to the ground by a policeman.
Other photographs have also come to light of Mr Tomlinson apparently remonstrating with officers in a riot van in Lombard Street up to an hour earlier.
Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson said the images of Mr Tomlinson being struck "raised obvious concerns" over policing and the tactic of "kettling" demonstrators – penning them in – to prevent free movement.
Labour MP David Winnick has called on Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to make a statement about policing and said the latest footage strengthened his demand.
Mr Winnick, who sits on the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said: "Not only the unfortunate death that occurred, but what I consider to be outright police brutality which in my view can in no way be justified."
Last Updated: 15 April 2009 10:08 AM
Source: n/a
Location: Yorkshire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHkcxOTnS_4