What was he doing wrong???
 

Has anyone else seen the video that is being shown on the news today showing Ian Tomlinson being pushed by a policeman during last weeks G20 summit?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7989027.stm

You cannot blame the police in a situation of unrest and violence like they had to face last week for being preemptive when confronted by a protestor that is not acting passively.

However, if you watch this video, Ian Tomlinson ws walking past the poilce casually with his hands in his pockets and a policeman came at him from behind, hit his legs with his baton and then used his body to shove him to the floor.

As I said, I would not want to be a police officer in a situation like that, but can anyone see Ian Tomlinson doing anything in this video that would warrant such an action. He collapsed moments after and an ambulance was called. In is on record that the police in attendance had originally said that the first contact they had with this man was when they called and ambulance and tried to help him. Obviously a lie given that this video has now emerged. Ian Tomlinson later died and his family now want answers.

Not everyone that gets pushed to the floor end up having a heart attack and dying and in a crowd situation, I could understand confusion on the part of the police, but watching this video just makes me wonder what the hell the officer thought this man was doing to warrant hitting him and pushing him to the ground.

I hope the violent protestors take some responsibility for this mans death. There was no need for the protest to turn into a riot and I feel if it hadn't, the police would not have felt so threatened and defensive.

Re: What was he doing wrong???
 

I saw the video on the news this morning.

Its Murder as far as I am concerned - he was in effect "mugged" by the Cop that did it.

The force the cop hit him with must have been huge, the cop seems to have to stagger to catch his balance.

Nothing to do with the protesters however, just good old fashioned Police Brutality, the Police should be taking circumstances into consideration even in the middle of a melee, which this was not.

Re: What was he doing wrong???
 

After watching the actual video my opinion has changed I was thinking it was his own fault that he got pushed over but after seeing that I'm disgusted to be honest. That was not reasonable force really was it and that's all the Police are supposed to use.

Re: What was he doing wrong???
 

If this was france, we'd all be having a big riot about it and burning down the police stations

anyway, it has caused massive outcry and was unprovoked; I duno what will happen though, can they identify the police officer who pushed? Was he given a command by someone else?

Re: What was he doing wrong???
 

it seems to that he was toying with the police and wouldnt move along due to the body language. I think its partially his fault for refusing not to move.

Re: What was he doing wrong???
 

wrong time, wrong place. Not his fault the only hooligan in sight was wearing a police uniform.

That's it, cracked it. The anarchists are wearing police uniforms to commit assaults on camera in order to discredit the custodians of law and order on our street.

Re: What was he doing wrong???
 

I think the police officer in question has stepped forward and admitted it was him, I can see that the police will have no choice but to suspend him from active duty until a full investigation is carried out.

Re: What was he doing wrong???
 

edit, anna just answered my post

Re: What was he doing wrong???
 

quick - pen an article for the daily mail!!!!

Good point though, just because you are in uniform and trained, dosnt mean your not a bit violent and quick off the mark

Re: What was he doing wrong???
 

The police officer has been identified and and investigation has already begun by the the IPC Independant Police Complaints Commission. They are already saying that there may be criminal charges brought if the investigation finds that the policeman responsible acted with undue force, which, lets face it is pretty obvious.

Like I said, I feel empathy for anyone that ha to work in a situation like that, but at the time of this incident, those police were clearly not under attack or threat of it and that one officer took it upon himself to use totally unecessary force on this man.