G20: Police officer suspended

[tango]

A police sergeant seen in video footage striking a woman during the protests against the Group of 20 meeting in London this month has been suspended, according to the Metropolitan Police.

The video, available on YouTube, shows the officer slapping the woman in the face, before hitting her on the leg with his baton after he appeared to be verbally abused.

“The actions of this officer raise immediate concerns,” London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement released late Tuesday. “Once we were notified of this footage by a media agency this afternoon we began to take steps to identify this officer.”

It added that the officer, who was not named but who works in the Territorial Support Group, has been suspended “pending further investigation.” The Territorial Support Group is a unit of the Metropolitan Police that specializes in anti-terrorism and spontaneous disorder in the British capital.

“Every officer is accountable under law,” the police statement added. “The decision to use force is made by the individual police officer, and they must account for that.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/world/europe/16london.html

Thank goodness for video! Finally I think we are making progress in holding police accountable for their actions. No doubt the cover-up culture of police forces is disgruntled, but I think this is a very good thing.

After all, if you don't have the freedom to protest verbally without getting hit, you don't have freedom of speech and assembly. The police are supposed to protect those freedoms, not attack them.

The police are not paid (by the people) to protect the regime in power from protest, but protect the rights of the people, regardless of who is in power.

Edited April 15, 2009 by tango

[Army Guy]

The video, available on YouTube, shows the officer slapping the woman in the face, before hitting her on the leg with his baton after he appeared to be verbally abused.

Although i agree the police office should answer for his actions....but so should the women...who in thier right mind verbally assaults, instigates, antagonzies , picks a fight with a man in full riot gear, unless that was exactly the reaction they were looking for.....kind of like kicking a grizzly in the nuts, then complaining the bear ate your foot....

[Muddy]

Although i agree the police office should answer for his actions....but so should the women...who in thier right mind verbally assaults, instigates, antagonzies , picks a fight with a man in full riot gear, unless that was exactly the reaction they were looking for.....kind of like kicking a grizzly in the nuts, then complaining the bear ate your foot....

[/quote

Good analogy Army Guy. If a Cop uses excessive force they should be investigated. But those who use the right to protest ,to riot, and destroy public and private property should be arrested,with physical force that will protect police and peaceful protesters. I find that protesters can become a mob very quickly.

[GostHacked]

Protests are going to get bigger. Police forces are going to get bigger. Something is gonna break.

[tango]

Although i agree the police office should answer for his actions....but so should the women...who in thier right mind verbally assaults, instigates, antagonzies , picks a fight with a man in full riot gear, unless that was exactly the reaction they were looking for.....kind of like kicking a grizzly in the nuts, then complaining the bear ate your foot....

They're cops. That's their job. They have to suck it up.

Cops don't beat people simply because they are verbally provoked ... do they?

[kactus]

Following an investigation today it was confirmed that the police did actually used 'inappropriate and excessive force' to deal with protesters.

The case below has been on the news recently and still under the investigation:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8011418.stm

Quite frankly this and a lot of other cases emerging puts little credibility in the police force and the way they should have handled the situation.

[tango]

Hurrah for people shooting video!!

So many times it is catching police doing things they have always done, and then lied about. At least twice during this protest alone, and one person died. Also at Vancouver airport, where a man also died at the hands of police.

I'm really glad we now have so many 'eyes on the street'.

Accountability of policing is absolutely necessary.

[KrustyKidd]

Accountability of policing is absolutely necessary.

Yes!

And every protester that disobeys the law in any way should be arrested and, if they argue, should be subject to immediate arrest. If they continue to pose aversion to this then they, and all those that interfere, should be placed into submission with whatever force necessary to do so.

[tango]

Yes!

And every protester that disobeys the law in any way should be arrested and, if they argue, should be subject to immediate arrest. If they continue to pose aversion to this then they, and all those that interfere, should be placed into submission with whatever force necessary to do so.

Nobody disobeyed the law.

[kactus]

Yes!

And every protester that disobeys the law in any way should be arrested and, if they argue, should be subject to immediate arrest. If they continue to pose aversion to this then they, and all those that interfere, should be placed into submission with whatever force necessary to do so.

Your argument is not valid in this case! Even the spokesperson on behalf of the metropolitan police testifed yesterday that inappropriate force was used in dealing with the protesters during the G20 summit in London after seeing the evidence. The case of Ian Tolminson the newspaper vendor or the city employee who got caught in between and had a severe heart attack are just a few cases that are under further investigation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8011092.stm

[kuzadd]

Ian Tomlinson did NOT die of a heart attack, he had a belly full of blood, he died from internal bleeding.

Likely a result of his body meeting the sidewalk in a hard and forceful manner.

[kuzadd]

further to Ian Tomlinson, who collapsed moments after the attack on his person by the police.

The cop who hit him had his face covered

He was not wearing his identifying tag

why?

obviously so he could NOT be identified.

Why would the police want that to be possible unless they were up to no good?

Like when someone cover their face and commits robbery, up to no good.

the first pathologist chosen was an at least twice discredited pathologist and an unusual choice , out of the norm.

The Police force conspired with their official story to cover up their roll in the death of Tomlinson.

More then one officer was present when the attack took place.

Yet, they all stayed true the official conspiracy!

The officer was already on "medical leave" when he was suspended.

The allleged police watch dog said they were going to do a quick and thorough investigation, but more then 48 hours after the video footage was turned in they acknowledged they had not even questioned the officer who hit Mr. Tomlinson. I wonder if they have yet?

The alleged police watch dog also claimed their were no cctv cameras in the vicinity which was shown to be a lie.

How is it they did not know that?

Answer: Not possible. They themselves claimed they spent weeks and weeks going through cctv footage but miss the cameras in the area of the attack on Tomlinson

simply not credible!

Had the bystander not turned the footage into the press, Mr Tomlinsons official story concocted by the police force would have stood.

Heart attack and obstructed by the protestors.

Oh and after the cop bashed and pushed Tomlinson it was the protestors that came to his aid, not the cops.

All in all the official story was a lie from start to finish.

Edited April 22, 2009 by kuzadd

[kactus]

Ian Tomlinson did NOT die of a heart attack, he had a belly full of blood, he died from internal bleeding.

I never said Ian Tomlinson died becasue of heart attack! But have to say that I agree full heartedly there has been a cover up, which is why this case has been under the scrutiny. Nevertheless, I still believe the police did act inapporpriately in dealing with protesters and it is about time there is a shake up in the structure.

[kuzadd]

I never said Ian Tomlinson died becasue of heart attack! But have to say that I agree full heartedly there has been a cover up, which is why this case has been under the scrutiny. Nevertheless, I still believe the police did act inapporpriately in dealing with protesters and it is about time there is a shake up in the structure.

hi kactus: I didn't imply that you said that, that was initially the official story and the official story was baloney

[kuzadd]

also take a look at the official story regarding the taser death of the fellow at the airport, the rcmp CONSPIRED to cover up their unnecessary attack on that man.

Then through the entire hearing they continued to lie, lie lie.

shamefaced.

It was incredible.

Again had someone on the outside not stepped forward with contradictory evidence their official conspiracy theory would have held sway.

These law enforcement officers, who freely break the law, should be ashamed and also they should be made to be responsible, culpable

[KrustyKidd]

Your argument is not valid in this case! Even the spokesperson on behalf of the metropolitan police testifed yesterday that inappropriate force was used in dealing with the protesters during the G20 summit in London after seeing the evidence. The case of Ian Tolminson the newspaper vendor or the city employee who got caught in between and had a severe heart attack are just a few cases that are under further investigation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8011092.stm

So you believe that only in this case should police be held accountable? I was speaking of all cases.

Nobody disobeyed the law.

From what I saw the police officer did by using excessive force.

[kactus]

The police officer U41 is now apparently facing manslaughter charges for hitting Ian Tomlinson who was merely watching the protest. Just seen the footage, which the IPCC tried the stop C4 to show the footage. Just a sick twisted individuals who thinks he can take the law in his own hand. I hope he gets a long prison sentence and they kick individuals like him out of the force. It's is a disgrace!

[kactus]

So you believe that only in this case should police be held accountable? I was speaking of all cases.

There generally seems to be problems in the way the police handles these situations. I can understand thatit's G20S and they are supposed to be doing their jobs. But it seems some of them are no less than a bunch of thugs who are just there to aggravate the situation.

Furthermore, in Britain there is a problem with the police structure as it is institutionally racist. Steven Lawrence case is a clear example and it's about time something is done.

[KrustyKidd]

There generally seems to be problems in the way the police handles these situations. I can understand thatit's G20S and they are supposed to be doing their jobs. But it seems some of them are no less than a bunch of thugs who are just there to aggravate the situation.

Furthermore, in Britain there is a problem with the police structure as it is institutionally racist. Steven Lawrence case is a clear example and it's about time something is done.

For sure. However, it goes both ways in that when given an order to move or disperse from an officer, a person must move. They can always take their case later to a judge but in the moment, they better move, disperse, shut up or whatever. Given that many of these demonstrations are not as peaceful as they should be due to the purposeful attention grabbing acts of many protesters, having thugs such as these being employed and on edge is understandable. Hence it should go both ways in that protesters should be given more severe treatment when in violation of the law in a situation which has the potential to accelerate violence.