THE Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) yesterday afternoon announced a ‘criminal investigation’ into the death of Ian Tomlinson.
Home Secretary Jaqui Smith had conceded earlier in the day that this was a possibility.
A video made public yesterday showed the 47-year-old man, with his hands in his pockets and his back to police, being suddenly pushed to the ground, during the G20 protests in the City of London on April 1st.
The video also appeared to show Ian Tomlinson being struck by a baton.
Not long afterwards, he collapsed and died.
He was not taking part in the protests.
Initially, it had been suggested there was no contact between police and the man.
There was anger yesterday from relatives, and from many other people, after the reports that City of London police were to conduct the investigation into the circumstances of Ian Tomlinson’s death, which would be ‘managed’ by the IPCC.
The video footage yesterday showed some police with dogs, wearing City of London caps.
‘In light of new information, we have now taken the decision to independently investigate,’ said Deborah Glass of the IPCC.
‘This is a criminal investigation and we will of course be discussing it with the Crown Prosecution Service.’
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Paul Stephenson said the video raised ‘obvious concerns’.
Earlier, Home Secretary Smith said: ‘I’m glad the IPCC themselves called for further evidence in order to be able to do that investigation as quickly and thoroughly as possible.
‘And if it identifies – and I can understand people’s concerns – if it identifies the need for a criminal investigation, that then also needs to be pursued.’
Yesterday Ian Tomlinson’s stepson Paul King demanded ‘answers’ on behalf of his family.
‘We just want justice,’ he said.
‘Until everything does come out . . . we can’t lay our father to rest.’
Reacting to the video, he said: ‘You can clearly see that my dad, Ian, had his hands in his pockets with his head down walking away.
‘So there was no reason for the officer to push him down.
‘We want answers now. It’s only minutes after, Ian collapsed and had the heart attack.’
An American man recorded the footage just before 7.30pm on April 1st at the Royal Exchange Passage in the City.
He said he came forward with the video because Ian Tomlinson’s family ‘were not getting any answers’.
The family of Jean Charles de Menezes and the Justice4Jean Campaign expressed their deep condolences to the family of Ian Tomlinson yesterday.
‘We know from experience that their pain at this time is only being exacerbated by the misinformation and half truths that have been circulating,’ they said.
‘The media also must shoulder some criticism for its continued unquestioning acceptance of police accounts of contentious deaths.’
• PC John Dougal has been convicted of causing death by dangerous driving in Newcastle, after a 16-year-old girl was hit by his patrol car.
