http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2009/apr/07/g20-police-assault-video

Ian Tomlinson died on April 2st during the protests against the G20. First the police and media claimed police had been attacked by protesters when trying to safe his life. Shortly after some witnesses came forward to say that protesters had been calling on megaphones for a doctor or medic and calling 999 while a woman was providing first aid. They also said police had forcibly removed the first aider and refused to speak to the emergency operator on the phone.

The following day, more witnesses came forward, who said they saw Ian Tomlinson being assaulted by police officers. Today the Guardian published a video corroborating these claims: Ian Tomlinson is seen walking slowly with his hands in his pockets, right in front of officers with dogs and moving away from them, when one officer seems to hit his legs with a baton and then push him, making him fall heavily to the ground.

The IPCC has published a press releases stating that the post mortem has shown the cause of death to be natural: a heart attack. While I'm in no position to judge, I do wonder if it is possible to miss indications at a post mortem that someone had hit his head just before passing away. Or if they just didn;t think it important.

The behaviour by the police so far has been unprofessional and dangerous to the general public. Countless eyewitness reports on the open posting news platform london.indymedia.org.uk tell of abuse of power and assault. Can this still be called a democracy, when people's right to drive in the city, and be able to shop all day is valued over other people's well being? Can you call it a democracy when people have to be afraid of being pushed, hit, detained for up to 10 hours without access to water, food or facilities if they attend a protest or just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? (A person on Indymedia reports that she was not let out of the kettle when s_he needed to get food and medication for diabetes.) In a democracy, would the police be allowed to routinely film and take photos of protesters and journalists covering protests, and keeping detailed information about them on a database?