G20 police brutality photo and appeal for more witnesses and footage

Shit shit nasty muthafucker

13.04.2009 16:22

Stop the peaceful demonstrations!

Ratamahatta

Cop Fascists

13.04.2009 16:52

These bastards are out of control.

Local Boy

That is just digusting! After viewing the video I am feeling even more angry at the police than I already was and I was already seething. Just look a the way he gives this young women a slap/strike with the back of his hand total arrogance/thuggery.
Good luck with bringing this THUG to justice

no uk stasi

FIT officers in photos

13.04.2009 17:28

there are two FIT officers in pictures with numbers, rank one is sergeant try contacting met for names ect

v

No Suprise

13.04.2009 17:31

"The attack was startling because it was apparently unprovoked. It was also surprising because the police officer concerned is a very large man of perhaps 15 stone, while the woman was very small, perhaps 5’3” tall."

I personally think this was entirely standard policing - far from the startling and suprisingly report on the issue. Police attack unprovoked all the time, large men attack smaller women all the time (whether in uniform of otherwise). Its a form of dominance that's ingrained within the fascist police and our society has a whole; however it's disgusting and common, not rare.

Don't get me wrong, this being reported is necessary, but in the light that the police are saints and angels and just made an error or two is only exacerbating fallacy. Unless the same goes for Nazi soldiers, that they only made an error or two, this is a complete joke.

The idea of the police is to intimidate those who are perceived weaker and to reinforce dominance using violent authority as a means of social control. If acts like this didn't happen, the police would be failing to do their job properly. Hence I call this 'standard policing', what would suprise and startle me is if these atrocious acts of violence DIDN'T occur.

ACAB

The Cop thug

13.04.2009 17:44

He was based at Belgravia some years ago, I assume he is still there. He was always assigned as part of the FIT team back in 2001-2006. I believe he is a sargeant in the TSG now, anyone from FIT watch/London should know him. He is a bastard of the highest order...

a

Disgusting...

13.04.2009 17:48

I see this was one of the cowardly thugs who had covered his shoulder numbers to prevent being identified.
These photos and video need to be distributed as wide as possible, It cannot be allowed to lie, it seems as though the legal action around Ian Tomlinson could be stalled for quite some time, enough for people to forget and simmer down.
People must stay angry and be constantly reminded about what happened that day and what continues to happen at protests in this so called free and democratic country. Especially as now it seems some are being arrested before even making it to the protest. The police are not to be trusted. Their version of events need always be questioned.

So, yeah, it goes without saying but get this video seen by as many people as possible, maybe harrass C4 News and the Guardian with it, they seem to be the closest thing to allies of the protesters in the mainstream media.

World Patriot

Is it me?

13.04.2009 17:53

Or does this bastard hang out at SHAC demos in London? I think I've seen his face a few times before. Is he not the 'polite and chatty' but personally intrusive copper (gets upset when you don't say what he wants to hear)? I realise this doesn't narrow it down though!!!!

Shactivist

Guilt

13.04.2009 17:55

Just watch the way in the video that he scurries of (like the rat he is) and distances himself from the crime he just commited just like a true criminal but in this instance dressed as a cop!

Coward

Identifying officers

13.04.2009 18:04

I also recognise him from the fit. I will have a look through old files later tonight. I'll also see if I can find anything on the fit cops shown.

Fitwatch
mail e-mail: defycops@yahoo.co.uk
Homepage: http://www.fitwatch.blogspot.com

I don't think he's a rat

13.04.2009 18:10

Its very silly to complement cops or fascists by describing them as highly intelligent, sociable, loving and clean species. The are stupid, filthy, unsociable scum who don't understand the meaning of love. It not only complementing cops, but insulting rats.

Just like the "bunch of animals" calls - its again highlighting our stupidity - we are animals!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human (see the scientific classification on the right).

Whoever thinks the link to wiki is patronising, its not.
Our collective stupidity is the embarrassing aspect.

veg@n

he number used to be

13.04.2009 18:13

AB 47 -- Belgravia, can't be sure exactly could be AB 49 but this is from memory. He is part of the TSG now, as a sargeant, so his number will start with a U....etc.

Will ask around, I remember we called him ABnormal back in the day because he was such a freak and obviously his number started with AB...hoho! Fuck the scum!

a

Surely this is assault.

13.04.2009 18:19

Surely this is an assault. The officer has obviously covered his numbers to avoid identification and so it has an element of premeditation.

Those officers who have numbers displayed are obviously witnesses and should be obliged to make statements. From the film it is obvious that he slapped the woman with his hand and then, in a calculated act of violence, used his baton.

Yes, you can call it a naive comment. But the man is not identified as an officer by numbers. That would mean he was off duty. His actions, in attending such a demonstration off duty and then assaulting a member of the public while dressed in imitation of a police officer suggests the acts of a criminal.

Naive Commenter

The Shoulder Numbers

13.04.2009 19:32

Of a number of the officers are perfectly visible. if you repost with higher resolution photographs, someone with photoshopping skills is bound to extract their numbers.

A Photographer

The law is very clear on lapel badge numbers

13.04.2009 19:50

The law is very clear on lapel badge numbers, either you have to show them or you have to show your warrant card in order to identify yourself as an officer, if neither is done then they do not carry the powers they had been given, so in this case I am sure on a technical level that this office is going to be suspended big time and on criminal charges.

I would guardian the lot, then find the lady then get some good lawyers, this case is clear.

This conduct is not on.

shame on them, there was no need for that at all, as there was no need to attacking the other bloke around the throat earlier in the video.

brummie

brummie

Never join the police force in any form...

13.04.2009 20:31

Never join the police force in any form... thugs with badges... ture right.

Loppy

Disgusting

13.04.2009 21:00

Surely these thugs who have their ID numbers removed were told to do so before-hand to give them cart blanche to provoke, attack etc making it nigh-on-impossible for us to get justice when these acts are carried out.. Unless they have a conscience and come forward (ha). The thug who assaulted Ian Tomlinson was the same and I saw many throughout the day.
Hope that someone does identify the coward in these images (shouldn't be hard to ID the FIT guys near him with higher res' photos), definitely excessive force seeing as the only weapon she seems to have is a carton of orange juice..

Peace

666

LX365 - Ian Skivens - MET?

13.04.2009 21:21

http://arcops.wordpress.com/

i could be wrong. what do you think?

watchingthem

another assault at approx 3m20s?

13.04.2009 21:25

It also looks like that video records a further assault just prior. Its hard to see but it seems to involve an officer having his hands around the neck of a protester, who is then shoved and roughly handled by a further 3 officers.

ms medusa

Paul Lewis Guardian

13.04.2009 21:28

Can you get in touch?

Paul Lewis

paul.lewis@guardian.co.uk

Paul Lewis

agreeing with ACAB

13.04.2009 21:31

I agree with ACAB - the problem is with the entire intstitution. Whtas also really shocking as well as the violence is the attitude a lot of the police have towards the protesters - note what one of the police shout at the protesters in the video! Just proves complete ignorance really! considering how much power they are given by the state, its pretty worrying that so many of them didnt really seem to have a clue about why the protesters were there in the first place!

Rhia

possibly know his police number

13.04.2009 22:08

I'm not 100% sure, but it's very possible that it's the same guy who searched me on 1 April. I did write down his number initially cause the search was illegal, but didn't bother to report in the end. There was also a legal observer with me who wrote down his number, so I might be able to trace it. I will try in the next couple of days and post it here if I can get hold of it again.

All I remember right now is that he was TSG and a sergeant (his number possibly starting in SU, though that might be wrong).

stopped and searched

Modern Day Policing to Protesting kettling and getting punched for the troubles

13.04.2009 22:38

Modern Day Policing to Protesting kettling and getting punched for the troubles.

loppy

anarchy is not politics , it's just a good idea

13.04.2009 23:32

police, nazis = scum scum scum

A>C>A>B

Based on Skivens picture earlier, not Skivens

14.04.2009 01:12

There's a few similarities, but not the same guy unless he's had plastic surgery on his left earlobe.

Not ACAB

identity of FIT in photos

14.04.2009 01:45

The two FIT visible are Sergeant BS68 and CW212_ - not sure of the last digit. Here's another photo which shows they clearly witnessed it:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/98142762@N00/3416927511/sizes/o/

I suggest you contact Bhatt Murphy solicitors.

brummie wrote: "The law is very clear on lapel badge numbers, either you have to show them or you have to show your warrant card in order to identify yourself as an officer, if neither is done then they do not carry the powers"

No it isn't, their is no law on shoulder numbers, please don't post legal nonsense.

fitwatcher

The Historical Roots of Kettling

14.04.2009 01:57

THE LESSON OF HILLSBOROUGH

This month is the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. The prime reason for the tragedy was the policing on the day. But to place the blame solely there is to miss the real root cause.

The crowd could not escape the crush because there were ten-foot fences at the front of the terraces. These were in place because of a common vision at the time – led by the police, amplified by media scare stories – that football crowds were not a gathering of people to be facilitated but a security problem, a volatile feral bunch that needed caging.

This attitude was reinforced by media stories of hooliganism, which in turn led to heavier policing, and the vicious cycle accelerated. Certainly, there were violent elements in football crowds. There still are. As Justin McKeating points out

Thousands of people descend on a city to express their passion. A small minority come for trouble and the police present are attacked with bricks and glass bottles. Twenty-seven people are arrested. They were Swansea FC supporters having a day out in Cardiff last year.

In the police-media talking-up of football hooliganism in the 80s, they discouraged people from coming to the match who didn’t want to be caught up in it, and in policing aggressively they encouraged aggression. Like the police’s treatment of demonstrations today, similarly exaggerated by the media’s fetishisation of violence, to a sizeable extent it self-fulfilled.

Even though there was no violence from fans at Hillsborough, police refused entry to ambulances, claiming fans were ‘still fighting’. If the police had treated football fans like human beings no lives would have been lost that day. But that sort of disaster was waiting to happen, and if it hadn’t come at Hillsborough then the attitude underpinning the police strategy ensured it would occur somewhere sooner or later.

The tactic of kettling stems from viewing all protests in that same way, and will just as surely lead to death. A man died at the G20 protests, and the circumstances are still unclear. But whether or not kettling had anything to do with the death of Ian Tomlinson, it makes no difference to the grave danger of the tactic. In the City people were held in continuous sunshine for hours with no access to water. People with medical conditions were not allowed to leave. If Ian Tomlinson was not the first to die in those conditions, someone else soon will be.

Julian Cope

what we see

14.04.2009 08:45

What we are seeing is the application of corporal punishment by a police officer on a woman who has quite clearly followed police orders to move back, she is pursued back in to the crowd and punished using the baton, this video and other evidence should be quickly edited to detail only of no longer than 30 seconds and put out as a free press release to all media organisations .
The one thing they really fear, they can cope with indymedia ....

Justice

Thugs in uniform

14.04.2009 09:41

If they did not join the police, they would have been football hooligans. No, worst than that. That's how the State keeps 'order' !?!??? The 'order' in which we are already dying by the millions of hunger, war and pollution (just think that more than 98% cases of cancer have environmental origin).

one

Seen him before

14.04.2009 10:51

This man is an arrogant man. I have had exchanges with him before and he raised my rankles then. Anything that gets this bastard in trouble would bring a smile to my face.

Donald

Can you get in touch please?

14.04.2009 13:16

rich.peppiatt@dailystar.co.uk

Rich Peppiatt
mail e-mail: rich.peppiatt@dailystar.co.uk

his number

14.04.2009 13:27

starts with U-5...
Several of us made a mental note of his number on the 2nd of April as we watched him mouthing off and aggresively harrassing people at Bank. He's a known thug, as mentioned, of the highest order. I'm kicking myself for not writing down his number. Pretty sure there's a '0' and an '8' in there as well, possibly ending in 8.

abracadabra

Contact National Press

14.04.2009 13:46

Hi if any one has any more visual material we would like to know.

Thankyou

tom
mail e-mail: pix@nationalpictures.co.uk

Hayden Smith NATIONAL NEWS PRESS AGENCY

14.04.2009 14:31

Could you contact me?

news@nationalnews.co.uk

Hayden Smith

Hayden Smith

Positive Identification - AB42

14.04.2009 15:21

AB42

Sorry about the poor quality of this photo - it is from an old disc, and the file conversion hasn't worked properly.

However, it clearly identifies the cop as AB42, and should be enough for him to be traced for any complaint/criminal investigation/compensation claim etc.

I have another photo that i haven't been able to access yet - and have several others i'm still working through.

Fitwatch
mail e-mail: defycops@yahoo.co.uk
Homepage: http://www.fitwatch.blogsspot.com

One rule for us and a different rule for them

14.04.2009 15:36

The Government/Police tell us the public that we should not object to the new anti-terror laws and our loss of freedom and privacy because as long as we are not planning on anything illegal then we should not object to stop and search, detention with out trial etc.

In that case why don't the police clearly identify themselves at demonstration and should have no objection to us filming their "legal" conduct! Why are the police hiding their ID numbers, and why are they forcing phtographers to delete any image of them assaulting a protestor from the camera if the Police are acting LEGALLY?

Just a Thought

Sally Mitchenall - Times Online

14.04.2009 15:49

Please could you get in touch

Sally Mitchenall
mail e-mail: sally.mitchenall@timesonline.co.uk
Homepage: http://www.timesonline.co.uk

On which press to contact - Paul Lewis

14.04.2009 16:11

If anhyone is contacting any of the press about this i'd recommmend Paul Lewis (the first to post) who has been good throughout the G20 issue. He has met up with various activists including me and he hasn't stitched us up in any way.

The idea of getting in touch with the Daily Star is fucking outrageous - invite them to an empty room and politely murder them maybe. As for the rest, up to you - but Paul Lewis is known and he's been working very hard on the police brutality cases post G20 and keeping his paper (the Guardian - least evil paper out there, lets be honest) focussed on the issue.

Bill Stickers

The other police officers should have arrested him.

14.04.2009 17:43

It would appear that, in broad daylight, a man assaulted a woman in front of a large number of police officers. The officers make no attempt to restrain or arrest the offender, and it would seem that none of them made a complaint.
are they guilty of an offence?

freedom

Daily Star

14.04.2009 17:48

What Bill Stickers said re getting in touch with the DS.

Star headline just after Hillsborough: 'Dead fans robbed by drunk thugs'

http://www.contrast.org/hillsborough/history/media.shtm

One Noddy Holder

Police probe ordered - BBC News!

14.04.2009 17:51

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7998976.stm

re-post sorry

Caroline

14.04.2009 18:08

I am interested in trying to find out more about this and who was involved - please contact me on

caroline.gammell@telegraph.co.uk

Caroline Gammell
mail e-mail: caroline.gammell@telegraph.co.uk

Clarification

14.04.2009 18:22

I believe this incident took place on April 1st (as opposed to 2nd as stated). Correct?

Mike Steven

Clearly GBH with intent....this officer needs arresting!

14.04.2009 18:53

A shocking unprovoked attack, totally unneccassary and completely illegal. If he is an AB skipper then his station is Belgravia (AB) next to Victoria Coach station. May I suggest a protest there. However if he is in the Territorial Support Group (TSG) then he is probably on TSG 1 (Westminster TSG) and based at Paddington Green PS across from Edgware Road tube station. This is unacceptable behaviour and must be challenged. No one is above the law, even the thugs of TSG. Also, being accountable for your behaviour as a 'public servant' is at odds with the covering of shoulder numbers. I am not sure you can do this unless on an anti-terrorist operation, clearly this protest does not fall into that category.

G.

Story info for all the press people

14.04.2009 18:58

It's a good thing that so many 'mainstream' media types are picking up on this story. For those that are unsuccessful in getting the scoop on this story, I'd like to suggest a couple of others that the G20 highlighted:

1. Why are we, as a country, spending so much money on CCTV when it seems to breakdown everytime there is a allegation of police misbehaviour (deMenzes, for example).

2. Why are the police preventing legal observers from (ummm) observing them in their public duties (and yet if you don't want to give your personal info to a police officer, then you must have something to hide)?

3. Why are so many police officers not showing lapel badges? (I am told they don't have to, but if they are not they have to show a warrant card. Presumably this is what AB42 did just before clubbing the protester. As see pics from the recent Nottinghamshire adventure

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/04/427496.html)

4. Why are the police detaining members of the press (esp. freelancers) until after their deadlines have passed, and then releasing without charge?

5. Why are the police confiscating household items from protesters? (e.g. soap - because you could use it to slip away from the police; bedsheets - because you could wrap it around yourself to evade police capture. Did I miss a meeting, and we all voted to life in slapstick land?)

6. Why are the police who are clearly not on any anti-terrorist operation, informing people that it is illegal to take photos of them?

7. Why are the police maintain a database of protesters without any clear link to criminality, and possibly in breech of the Data Protection Act?

8. Why are the police regularly swiping memory cards from cameras that have been used during protests?

9. Why are all of the incidents above reported in most media as 'one-offs' where there is a single 'bad apple', maybe even in a 'bad apple' constabulary that's making everybody else look bad rather than a systematic way in which the police operate (the C theorists might even suggest 'are told to operate') to silence dissent and popular protest?

I can reference all of the above, but hey, you're journos and I wouldn't want to do you out of a job :-)

OK, I give in. I'll give you a start for your research.

http://climatecamp.org.uk/node/531

I really hope I'm wrong, but I expect that the police's Summer of Rage has only just started. I reckon there'll be more of 1-8 in the coming weeks and months. I hope you might be able to do something about number 9.

Informer

Guardian link to indymedia

14.04.2009 19:16

The Guardian are linking to the photos on this indymedia posting! Normally the other way round!!

its a secret

Before the Mainstream Media get it all wrong read this Background Brief.

14.04.2009 19:23

Wishing to remain anonymous before the media gets it all wrong, the background to these events held at the Bank of England were in response to the Death of Ian Tomlinson, whilst protests were planned for this day. The events of Ian’s death had over shadowed any intended demonstrations, at least collectively in people’s thoughts of that day. Meanwhile the police continued from the day before to stigmatises the protesters by collectively by “kettling” placing a cordon, and sub dividing protesters/mourners into smaller groups and denying people wishes of joining the impromptu memorial which at that time being held in the central of the ground. During this process the people being held within/outside the ground of the Bank of England were refused permission to leave/enter the cordon, as a result of this, (I am assuming here) the young lady prompted to remonstrate with the Police officers involved in the cordoned. Such acts such as these were sadly to say were very common. There are plenty video/pictures links of that day posted around the various websites

A good over view can be seen here.

2nd Apil 1pm - After the death yesterday of a 40yr old male, protesters return to set up a memorial outside the Royal Exchange.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNLeESSR264&feature=channel_page

2nd April 2.30pm - More protesters arrive for memorial for dead protester, police presence getting heavier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWpxEqPxL98&feature=channel_page

2nd April 2.40pm - Lots of chanting and shouting as mounted police move in to break up the growing crowd by the memorial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St596jXUR68&feature=channel_page

2nd April 4pm - The crowd for the dead protester remains, with a heavy police presense keeping them contained.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXPnUb2TRVY&feature=channel_page

2nd April 5pm - Most protesters outside Bank of England have left, with around 20 outside the Royal Exchange staging a sit-in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh77nhgzg3Y&feature=channel_page

John Bloggs

Provocation

14.04.2009 19:51

The BBC reporter covering the story keeps mentioning that the policman was clearly provoked

Billy No Balls

Re: Clarification - no this was on the 2nd

14.04.2009 20:25

It was a solidarity demo for Ian Tomlinson who died on the 1st.

ACAB

shoulder numbers and warrant cards

14.04.2009 20:28

> Why are so many police officers not showing lapel badges? (I am told
> they don't have to, but if they are not they have to show a warrant card.

Generally there is no requirement to do either. If the officer is not in uniform then certain powers are only exercisable after showing a warrant card, but using force is not one of them, and lacking shoulder numbers does not mean an officer is out of uniform.

ACAB

Positive Step

14.04.2009 20:41

Good to see that the mainstream news groups are interested in this story. Makes a nice change from all the pro-police / anti-protester coverage over the years.

Citizen Smith

The BBC reporter is provoking me with his deeply rubbish news report.

14.04.2009 20:57

He obviously made no attempt to listen to the video footage, if he had he would hear the victim protesting against a just witnessed police assault. She only swears once she's been smacked in the face with the mystery cop's reinforced gauntlets. I think she was incredibly restrained in only calling him 'scum,' after all she did not know his real name (or number for that matter).
She also has no hands free to defend herself against this brave, undercover police officer as she is holding a carton of orange and a camera. There again there is probably a new SOCPA law that states: (SOCPA, Section 501/A): 'It is illegal to take photographs of freshly squeezed orange/vegetable juice while being punched in the face by an anonymous police officer taking part in anti-terrorist operations unless you are the Man from Delmonte'.
I Agree with the point that the press make out these are isolated incidents when the reality is these things were taking place at regular intervals all day. I hope the victim of this unprovoked and violent attack is well compensated.

Still not saying

His number is-

14.04.2009 21:50

U 5402
Wrote it down while at Bank as I watched him threaten someone. It's def him.

nina c

Footage

14.04.2009 21:51

Hey guys,

Im glad something has been done about this, if anyone wants to ask me questions about the footage please email at

triwooox@gmail.com.

Tristan

re footage

14.04.2009 21:55

I've got footage of him as well from Bank on the 2nd as he was generally being an asshole.

nina c

Mainstream Media ... Still not all that Friendly

14.04.2009 22:13

Great!
The mainstream media have picked up on a story of police violence against protesters. But they still manage to spin it in favour of the police.
The BBC (and many others) picked up on this story, but like the IPPC, still manage to tell a police-friendly story. The BBC vioce over commentary describes "the woman is still in his face, as it were, provoking him." I've watched this video a least 20 times, and I just don't see it. It is indeed a woman, but the rest just doesn't add up.

So I went made a complaint to the BBC at

http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/complaints_stage1.shtml

and I said:

Having watched the video on this web page, I consider the voice-over reporting to be inaccurate and biased.

From times (approx) 0.38 to 0.48 the woman featured is described as "the woman is still in his face, as it were, provoking him."

The video shows no such things. The woman is clearly at least 5 feet away from the officer. I do not consider this to be 'in his face' (with all of the aggressive connections that go with the term). Do you consider 5 feet to be 'in your face'? If so, why do you not report police actions as 'being in the face of protesters.'?

And the commentator says the woman is 'provoking him.' This is a serious allegation. Where is your evidence? It looks to me like she's shouting at him, but how else do you get yourself heard in a noisy demonstration? Where, who knows, somebody may have collapsed.

To repeat, I consider this report to be both inaccurate and biased. Please take urgent action to remove the offending article (or edit with accurate and non-biased reporting) and let me know you have done so.

Also, please let me know what you intend to do t prevent issues like this happening in the future.

Grinsted, East

Daily Star

14.04.2009 22:49

Don't paint Star journalists with the same brush as their paper, remember this is the paper who's own staff rose up against them on numerous occasions, most recently:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/newsroom-revolt-forces-star-to-drop-its-daily-fatwa-spoof-420684.html

A lot of good journalists suffer greatly under Desmond.

Donnacha DeLong
mail e-mail: donnacha.delong@tiscali.co.uk
Homepage: http://donnachadelong.wordpress.com

Another complaint made

14.04.2009 22:54

I've also made a complaint to the BBC about their news at Ten report, similar to the one above. I pointed out that the journalist got the date of the protest wrong, it was not later the same day Ian Tomlinson died which is important for context. He also states that they cannot tell if he had his numbers showing. I think the photos above show quite clearly you can. Perhaps their Home Affairs correspondent works part time at the IPCC.

BBC are not very bright

Office suspended

14.04.2009 23:05

A Metropolitan Police officer shown in YouTube video footage apparently hitting a woman during the G20 summit protests in London has been suspended.

Tristan

Re: Provocation

14.04.2009 23:22

Woman was being aggressive and not doing what she was told, BBC story sounds right to me.

Bandit

Media do your research

14.04.2009 23:23

Dear mainstream journalists

Before painting this as some kind of isolated incident, perhaps you should view the following videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BLe5Tp3Vdc

In the above video, from kingsnorth, a protester is pushed to the ground at 5:45, struck with batons and repeatedly kicked, then thrown down an embankment.

In the same video from 1:00, police can be witnessed pulling a woman's hair, kneeling on her face as well as that of a man, pulling her in opposite directions by her limbs, pushing a clenched fist into her face, gripping her ear....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t244-zEENSs

In the above video police attack peaceful protesters, beating them with batons and shields, including use of the edge of the shield. People are thrown to the floor. Women with their backs turned to the police are stuck with batons and shields, protesters are caught between two lines of police and subjected to violence, property is trampled and destroyed... and not one single punch or missile is visible from the 'rioters' at any time.

Police violence against climate and anti-capitalist protesters is the NORM. These are not the actions of 'bad apples' they are actions directed from above.

Just because the attack on the climate camp was performed en-mass against a crowd, doesn't make the the unproved attacks any different from the assaults on Tomilnson and this woman. The risk of injury or death is actually compounded by the crowded conditions.

Anon

Media in a difficult situation

14.04.2009 23:48

While the media are rightly condemned for their pro-policethuggery spinning, this needs to be put in the context of what has happened in certain other countries where the critical media have found themselves closed down by the "authorities", and in some cases journalists murdered. They steer a treacherous course between moral compromise and danger of physical assault and closing down.
I have previously despised (even ) the Guardian and BBC with utterest contempt on account of their constant filthy Jihad Denial falsehoods of the supposed "religion of peace". But they do have to be thanked for their great courage in giving publicity to these authorised crimes, albeit only partial publicity.

ribrob

Time To Complain To The BBC

14.04.2009 23:51

Complaint made to BBC.

I have never written to your organisation before but I feel that I have no choice after watching this evenings piece on the alledged assault made at the G20 Summit.

The announcer provided an inaccurate voiceover stating that the woman was "clearly provoking" the officer and that even after she had been slapped in the face that she was "still in his face". I have to say that I do not consider a person to be in my face when they are around six feet away. I can speak from experience here having dealt with crowd control issues whilst in Northern Ireland.
Having watched the full clip a number of times on you tube I have to say that I found the video you showed to have edited out the previous portion of the clip where another man was forced to the ground. This was why the woman was remonstrating with the officer. She was not "provoking" him at all.
Your reporting of this incident was extremely inaccurate and misleading.
I also formally complain about your reporting of this on the BBC news website where you state:
"The footage shows the woman swearing at a police officer who then appears to hit her in the face before apparently striking her on the leg with his baton."
Your use of the words "appears" and "apparently", are again misleading and even contradict the voiceover given on your news channel.

Sick Of It All Now
mail e-mail: calvi36@hotmail.com

Photos of AB42

15.04.2009 01:31

Photos of AB42 are now on www.fitwatch.blogspot.com

Fitwatch
mail e-mail: defycops@yahoo.co.uk
Homepage: http://www.fitwatch.blogspot.com

Re. that BBC interview. Why is it always the most 'good-looking' journos

15.04.2009 02:14

who are the most smarmy/arrogant/inaccurate, and still win all the 'reporter of the year' etc awards?

re-poster

Radio 4

15.04.2009 06:19

radio 4 this morning described the incident in the same manner, of a woman getting in the face of the policeman, as it were, provoking him. Not that it matters as it appears he's been suspended, but his number is not AB 42 but U 5402. And no, Bandit, her "aggressive" behavior does not merit the use of the magical police wand, watch it again fool.

nina c

Ab42

15.04.2009 07:27

He was AB42, he moved to TSG and his number changed, but he most definitely was AB42.

Anon

the police earn

15.04.2009 08:08

appalling treatment of a small woman, shes clearly no more than 8.5stone.

does he deliver similar treatment to the women in his life, one wonders. the casual way he strikes her would suggest so.

SCUMBAGS

no respect

Threatened with arrest for taking pictures of police

15.04.2009 08:12

The sad truth is that incidents like these happen all the time. Certainly on the G20 protests I witnessed several similar acts of rather viscious violence by the police towards protestors.

These pictures and video are clearly shocking and it's been picked up by the mainstream press because of that. I mean that back of the hand slap with riot gloves that are re-enforced with metal or kevlar or something is just brutal, and as others have said the height difference really makes it look bad.

I got hit in a similar fashion arcoss the back of my head (from behind) while filming near to the Bank of England.

Several hours later, outside the cordon around the climate camp protest I was physically pulled to the side of the road by a police officer and threatened with arrest under counter terrorism legislation for taking a picture of police officers arresting someone. The officer tried to make me delete the last 5 pictures I had taken and said I had a choice between that or having my camera seized and being arrested. He was being physically aggressive, pulling at my camera which was on a strap around my neck. After a few minutes I was released and told in no uncertain terms - 'you've been warned, don't take any more pictures or you'll be in trouble'. I am currently contacting the NUJ and IPCC over the incident.

Personally I think the footage on Indymedia london and youtube of the police attacking, for that's what it is, the protestors of the climate camp, who resist the battering by holding their hands up and chanting 'this is not a riot', is the most shocking raw coverage I've seen of the G20 protests. There really should be an enquiry into that episode.

The other thing that shocked me was reading about the tazar weilding police raid on the rampart squat. To be honest, I thought I was quite cynical, but I've been left feeling rather outraged by the G20 policing.

Photographer

@ "Photographer"

15.04.2009 08:38

Could you contact me about what happen to you?

Marc Vallée
mail e-mail: marc@marcvallee.co.uk
Homepage: http://www.marcvallee.co.uk/articles-films/

BBC complaints

15.04.2009 08:53

I note on BBC's online coverage they are showing the footage without the News at 10 commentary now. The new voice over is far more damning, describing the woman as 'remonstrating with' rather than 'provoking' and none of this 'appears' to strike nonsense.

The new edit also includes an interview with Liberty, as well as discussing the Tomlinson case, and comments from the Lib-dems that the problem is more systematic than a few bad apples.

Pity the BBC chose not to use this version on the well watched news at 10.

Bourdin

@Bourdin

15.04.2009 09:24

They changed the web page but kept the same address -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7999007.stm - which says it was last updated at 19:05 last night, although I viewed the old video (with the presenters biased 'provoking' comments) about 9pm (two hours later than the last update). Also on the same page it says the cop was suspended yet I still hadn't been able to see that anywhere on the BBC News site except on the 'breaking news ticker' by 11:30pm. Haven't found a timeline anywhere, but with various forum posts I made elsewhere my times are correct - think the BBC realised how much up the polices arse they appeared. Or maybe not.

Either way I call conspiracy!

Flood

BBC Complaint

15.04.2009 09:25

Strange that isn't it Bourdin. The basis of my complaint to the BBC was on based on their mis-representation of the clip and the wording used. "Remonstrating with the officer" etc.

Maybe it takes someone like myself to make them notice that normal Joe Public is onto the way they are manipulating the news.

I have never been on any protest marches.
I am not what anyone would class as a crusty, happy clappy, hippy, dreadlocked hippy type. Stereotype, I know, but this is the picture that the main stream media propaganda machine have imprinted on people's minds.

I firmly believe that an awakening is taking place within the general population. That the public are no longer willing to accept Police Brutality, Lies and cover ups and main stream media falsehoods.

For freelance journalists/photographers things have become very difficult. A press card now seems to offer zero protection.

Sick Of It All Now

Question about generality of police violence

15.04.2009 09:32

The post on this page titled "media do your research" gives a good illustration that there is an endemic problem here rather than just one or two bad apples. Or at least that may be the case in respect of London, the City, anticapitalism or whatever.
This intrigues me because only about 5 years back I was on a march around Fairford airbase where the Iraq bombers were based. I even photographed the gates being forced open (to huge cheers and drumming), and a number of protesters getting in. And yet there was no violence from the police or injuries caused thereby. So has something changed? The result of more years of the regime of war criminal Blair and mega-fraudster Brown perhaps?

ribrob

Which TSG unit?

15.04.2009 10:47

Can anyone confirm whether the number 5 in his shoulder number (U5402) indicates that he is from 5TSG? That is the unit based at Larkhall Lane in Clapham/Stockwell area. This could be interesting since it was also a 5TSG officer who struck Ian Tomlinson on April 1 and 5TSG were also heavily involved in the 7.30pm assault on the Climate Camp (their 'U-5' helmet numbers are clearly visible in the video of the attack:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t244-zEENSs). If this is the case then we need to push for the whole unit to be investigated, not just one or two coppers.

melnik0v
Homepage: http://twitter.com/melnik0v

Full video

15.04.2009 10:53

On the longer length video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V23PGWd46MM&feature=channel_page

You there is a zoom in on the gauntlets the officer is wearing. What are these gauntlets?

Also there is a clear earlier assault on the black photographer as well.

You can see throughout several mainstream TV cameras, where is their footage of the incident, why has it taken amateur footage on youtube to make this story news, while presumably the mainstream media saw the footage as only fit for the cutting room floor.

Bourdin

TSG violent cop - 2/4/09

15.04.2009 11:27

I saw the cop in question grabbing and attacking people. I don't know if it was the same woman but he grabbed a woman and held his arm back, clenching his fist like he was going to punch her in the face. I tried to get a pic but camera too slow, I got a pic of him and tried to enlarge it to see if I could at least see his number but I couldn't.

These are the pix I took on the 2/4/09

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2009/04/02/stand-off-at-bank/

Louise
mail e-mail: Louisefeminista@btinternet.com
Homepage: http://harpymarx.wordpress.com

More footage of April 2nd

15.04.2009 11:33

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt6Ix9E-oQ4&feature=channel

The above footage is interesting, as it features a conversation between protesters and a policeman about the earlier assault on the woman. The officer also seems to be suggesting that the protesters should be grateful for the police as without the confrontation their message wouldn't get heard.

So philosophy is alive and kicking in the met.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb2tnlNpSPc&feature=channel

In the above footage a police shoves and pushes a protester, while repeatedly telling him not to look at him. Is looking at a police officer a crime too?

Officers then go on to make a micro kettle and proceed to crush the protesters into a tiny space despite cries of pain and complaints of crushing from the trapped.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdHLg2VefT0&feature=channel

On this footage, a peaceful protester is pushed to the ground.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soqsfHcc11E&feature=related

Yet the above i as a prime example of how the press cover violence towards the police, in live rolling news style. Why the bias? Hmm?

Bourdin

5TSG

15.04.2009 11:43

The danger, if it proves true that 5TSG are heavily involved in several incidents of police brutality, is that the 'bad apple' meme will simply be replaced with a 'bad unit' one. This will miss the point, which is these actions are systemic. Police handled Kingsnorth in exactly the same way, they handled Gleneagles in exactly the same way... and on and on.

Bourdin

TSG

15.04.2009 12:03

Both suspended officers are members of TSG, it has just been announced.

TSG

Please contact

15.04.2009 12:57

Nicky - could you please get in contact via the e-mail

Sean O'Neill
mail e-mail: sean.oneill@thetimes.co.uk

According to the Times the victim has employed Max Clifford to deal with press

15.04.2009 18:03

repost from the Times online:

'Ms Thompson, who works in an animal sanctuary in East Sussex, was said to have been deeply traumatised by the incident.But as the day wore on, in a bizarre turn of events, it emerged that she had asked Mr Clifford to negotiate a deal with the media and will charge a fee for interviews.
Her sister, Natalie Thompson, from Brighton, said: “We have been inundated with offers from journalists and it has obviously become quite a high-profile story today. “We have had reporters camped outside our house and all sorts so it is (Max Clifford) dealing with it now. There is likely to be a big exclusive story in the pipeline.”

Viva la Revolution! I guess, to be fair, she never reported it and taking money from the media can be easily justified, but couldn't someone less unpleasant than Clifford have done the dirty work?

Name concealed

Then again 'The Times' might just be making it up of course.

15.04.2009 18:20

Anyway, I guess it is just a diversion from the real issue which is of police criminals killing and beating people.

Name concealed

Contact me

16.04.2009 08:55

I am a freelancer and I'm very interested in following this up further.

Anyone who saw this police officer on the day, or who has had previous run-ins with him, please contact me.

Thank you.

Shannon Hawthorne
mail e-mail: shannon_hawthorne@hotmail.com

Identity of the officer ..

16.04.2009 15:01

His Number
U 5402
here is a film of him the night before.. Making Jokes..
numbers on the back of his helmet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk5LZL51ROA

Anon

G20 Victim Sell herself to Max Clifford for £50000

16.04.2009 16:18

What a disgraces, defeating the whole point of the demo only to flounder at the first hurdle called Max Clifford.

If there anyone here should be making money here is Ian Tomlinson Family for the "private prosecution" that will enviably will happen. If she does "cash in" she should certainly give 100% to the decease family.

I really angry that information given freely via indymedia is being use to benefit her bank account.. Utter disgrace.

G20 Victim Sell herself to Max Clifford for £50000

Re: Identity of the officer ..

16.04.2009 18:06

That new footage, that's the alley way by the the climate camp, isn't it?

So his unit was present at all the most controversial police actions of the week.

We're bound to see a 'bad unit' line played out now.

Bourdin

More viloence for our friendly journalists.

16.04.2009 20:36

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mJralkreJw

At 32 seconds, a member of the public is struck to the head, from behind, with a riot shield. The blow is delivered with considerable force. The member of the public assaulted was not posing a threat, indeed at the time he was seemingly singled out for assault he was looking down at his camera. The officer that carries out the attack, then retreats into his colleagues while another officer moves over towards the camera used to film the attack. Several of the officers in the vicinity seem to be wearing the face obscuring masks, as we saw in the case of the attack on Tomlinson.

It appears that the officer that delivered the blow chose his target from a distance, pushing through other protesters to deliver the blow. Could the possession of a camera be why the man was singled out?

The officers in hi-viz jackets, to the right of the scene, have numbers on their helmets, beginning with U, one is briefly visible at 25 seconds, I believe this means that they are once again TSG officers.

On this video, of the same event...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FbEwmOHZeo

The camera follows the officer for a few more steps, at 1:58 part of one of his colleague's numbers can be seen on his helmet, reading U32, so also TSG, I believe from Chadwell Heath. On the full resolution sky footage the striking officers number may be visible as he retreats.

If you roll the scene on two protesters can be seen being attacked on the floor, possibly with a few kicks delivered.

Bourdin

I have some unreleased footage of me swearing at the police.

16.04.2009 20:40

Max Clifford, you can have the footage for £50 and a copy of Jade's autobiography (I'll accept £40 without the book).

cheers.

Met Lotto - it could be you

Police Professional.com suggest Tomlinson was drunk and uncooperative.

16.04.2009 23:24

The Police propoganda rag that describes itself as: ' the largest circulation police weekly..the only UK professional journal that caters for police management, forensics, analysis, investigative practice, police technology, law, operational and strategic policing issues plus all the news and opinion, every week'. States that:
'Mr Tomlinson died shortly after he was caught on camera apparently being struck and pushed to the ground by a police officer for what appeared to be no reason. But the latest information revealed that he had earlier appeared drunk and had failed to move out of the way of a police van when asked'.

You could not make it up. Supposedly that is why an unnumbered riot cop batters him from behind while he has his hands in his pockets and is walking away. We can all carry on as normal now safe under the watchful eye of The Met.

Police lies

Drunk an uncooperative

17.04.2009 09:25

Go back to sleep Britain, your police force have it all figured out...

That Tomlinson allegedly did not move out of the way of a police van, 80 minutes before he was attacked, has utterly no relevance on his subsequent treatment. It's as irrelevant as Menezes's immigration status.

Bourdin

According to the Guardian Nicola Fisher has sold her story to the Daily Express!

17.04.2009 11:53

As Alan Partridge famously said: 'Oooooh, it's a good paper'!

The following is from the Uncyclopedia website

“I love the Daily Express. It's soft, strong and thoroughly absorbent.”

~ Oscar Wilde on his toilet roll of choice

“Although I imagine you'd end up wiping more shit on than off.”

~ Winston Churchill on Oscar Wilde's comment

The Daily Express... is a parody of the Daily Mail produced by the publishing group Pornographers for Traditional Values... (it) is often urinated on by immigrants and the informed liberal intelligentsia (apart from when a copy of it is on fire). It is often used in preference to toilet paper in order to clean one's body after having defecated. It is often thrown on bonfires by the more intelligent students (assuming they sharked it, not purchased). The Daily Express tried in vain to glorify Oswald Moseley and his dirty blackshirted fascists in the 1930's and then proclaimed a day of mourning when the extreme-right wing bigots got a drubbing at the hands of liberal-minded English people including bearded Jews and Irish dockers and other immigrants at the Battle of Cable Street in 1936. The Daily Express feels the need to be highly chauvinistic in attitudes towards women because their staff are highly frustrated given that any woman in their right mind would never go out with a bigoted nationalist (apart from bigoted nationalist women - of which there are only an ugly and desperate few and most of them read the Daily mail) etc. etc. etc.

Daily Express... 'ooooh, it's a good paper'

Murder!

17.04.2009 15:01

Just been announced that Tomlinson died from internal bleeding NOT a heart attack.

STRING THE FUCKERS UP.

Bourdin

Distorted View

17.04.2009 15:18

It's clear from the video that this "innocent women" clearly does something to the police officer from behind or from the side more than once at the same time tempers in the crowd are running pretty high.

She refuses to move away after clearly being being warned. The police office takes a defensive stand before finally hitting her on the legs.

It looks like a single blow but then maybe further blows towards other members of the crowd.

Certainly does not look like police brutality despite your attempts to portray it so.

anon2

AB42 in the Daily Mail

17.04.2009 16:38

By a remarkable coincidence the Daily Mail illustrates an example of police shoulder ID with the photo of AB42 shown above.

http://alturl.com/gmj8 (2nd photo)

rogerh

Weird

17.04.2009 17:22

Also funny that in the same article, the boxed image underneath, contains an ID BA24, a kind of reverse of AB42.

Bourdin

Yorkshire Post: 'If anyone ever deserved a good slap, this woman..did'

18.04.2009 10:26

Just read this in the Yorkshire Post in a comment piece by Bill Carmichael!! With Journalism like this no surprise regional newspapers are in crisis.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/columnists/Bill-Carmichael-Brutal-truths-about.5180050.jp?CommentPage=1&CommentPageLength=10#3946183

'Take a few moments to look at the video and a strikingly different picture emerges from the propaganda being put out by the protesters and their friends at the BBC and left-wing newspapers.
Instead of the sanitised version of injured innocence, what you'll see is an aggressive-looking young woman – as yet unidentified – hat pulled down over her eyes, mouthing obscenities into the face of a police officer, who is trying to ignore her. After several minutes of this he snaps and slaps her with the back of his hand with the words: "Go away." She doesn't and she continues to hurl abuse. At which point he draws his baton and belts her on the legs.If anyone ever deserved a good slap, this woman certainly did.Instead of being suspended and investigated, I believe the officer involved should be commended for his forbearance'.

Anon