Across the pond

The only death in the street protests at the time of the G20 summit had more to do with the police than the protesters, according to The Guardian’s latest twitter posting which I found just now. The Guardian has got hold of a video, which clearly shows Ian Tomlinson, the City worker who died, being pushed from behind by the police. He was walking home from work when he entered the protesting zone.

Still photographs published by The Guardian and others last week showed him sitting on the ground, gesticulating at the police. These, and the reports of eye witnesses, had cast doubt on the first police report, which said their attempt to rescue him was hampered by bottles thrown by the protesters.

You can view the video on The Guardian website. It’s looks pretty convincing to me, though, of course, videos can be doctored. The Guardian has sent the video and the other evidence they have collected, to the Police Complaints Commission.

Meanwhile, take a look for yourself.

The article by Duncan Campbell is also worth reading. He notes that in previous cases like that of Blair Peach and Jean Charles de Menezes, the police version of events was readily accepted and was not over-turned by enquiries months later. But today, as Campbell points out, such events are no photographed by dozens of ordinary folk on their mobile phones.