Many of you will remember the protests in London last week when the leaders of the G20 nations convened to address the financial crisis. While, for the most part, the protests were peaceful, there were some incidents of smashed windows and fighting. Almost all participants in the day's events made their way back homes to their families after a day of taking the fight to the man,albeit in an orderly fashion.
Now, today, the Guardian online has uncovered video of the one person, a man by the name of Ian Tomlinson, who died during the protests. Originally, there was no story. The man died of natural causes after collapsing on his way home from work, the police said on the day.
This video proves that the police had slightly more involvement than they originally stated :
(note, this link takes you to the article with the video embedded)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/...
The Guardian online report states that :
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.
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.
Now, while i'm a big believer in the police force's need to control these events with complete authority, this is just the latest incident involving police violence that has been caught on tape. Luckily, at the G20 protests in London, there were people with videocameras around to view and record this incident. Let us now hope that any subsequent inquiry brings justice to Ian Tomlinson's family. Thoughts, Kossacks?
Note - Full Credit to the Guardian Online for their reporting. And no copyright infrigement meant. This is merely to bring this story to a wider audience.
Here's what the BBC had to say :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/...