We do not yet know the full facts of the case but the footage played wall-to-wall on yesterday night’s news bulletins of police batoning Ian Tomlinson the newspaper seller present at the G20 protest minutes before he collapsed and died made uncomfortable viewing.
Pictures like this
…might bring on memories of this
not to mention parallels drwan with the De Menezes case.
This is surely horrible stuff just at the time the Metropolitan Police should be trying to restore faith in it as various other bloggers point out from all over the spectrum. I am not normally the sort who goes along with Lib Dem knee-jerkery and the way they like to milk everything for their own ends but I would support the call for a full public enquiry made on this morning’s Today programme by their 2005-intake Cambridge MP David Howarth (who I remember as their candidate in the seat in 1992, now that’s what I call tenacity).
The damning footage only exists because an American happened to be at the scene and recording – although the Guardian presumably owns the rights now. Good job this amateur cameraman was there doing what he did, otherwise we would be none the wiser.
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April 8, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Robert
I was part of the miners Marches, I saw what the Police did because Thatcher told them, I was standing as a young lad talking to a few people turned to walk away and all I remember was sitting on the floor wondering why I was spitting out my teeth, a lady next to me was holding her nose with blood all over the place. I later found out as I turned an officer hit me in the face with a pickaxe handle, and the lady next to me found the pickaxe in her face.
Police have serious problems they are here I suspect to carry out the rule of law, but when people march they become a tool of the government, and sadly since labour have come to power labour have used them well. We should have a right and freedom to march something New labour does not like.
April 8, 2009 at 3:07 pm
----- Jennifer -----
your blog is very good
April 11, 2009 at 7:53 am
Tim
The police must be under a great deal of pressure in these situations but that is what they’re paid for and such an act is inexcusable. A public enquiry should certainly be held but the problem with this is that it will just end up costing tax payers yet more money and end up being manoeuvred the way the police and the government want it to be.