Greens condemn revelations about alleged News Group phone hacking

The Green Party has strongly criticised inaction by Boris Johnson over revelations of hacking into mobile phones of public figures by the News of the World and other newspapers.

Jenny Jones, the Green Party's home affairs spokesperson and a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, said: "The right to privacy has been widely eroded in recent years, but it is a serious right that must be respected by everyone. If it is ever breached, there should be a clear and strong justification. A list of 1,000 individuals being hacked by private investigators looks like systematic trawling for gossip for which there is no higher journalistic justification."

Jenny Jones also criticised Boris Johnson's inaction on the issue: "It's like he's a rabbit in the headlights. Even if he is involved [as one of the public figures whose phone was hacked] it would be appropriate to invite the commissioner and to say why he did not pass it on. In some ways he has to defend the commissioner and the police service if there is going to be criticism, so he needs to know."

Jones added: "The disturbing thing is if there was proof that phones had been hacked why did [the police] not get in touch with people themselves? That is the worrying aspect. The Met should have informed the victims of these hacking operations, especially the political ones, so that they could change their phone numbers."

Green Party asks more questions of Met on policing

Jenny Jones, the Home Affairs spokesperson for the Green Party (and a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority) responds to the release of footage of a police officer striking a woman protester on the 2nd April 2009:

"This new video footage confirms what many of us knew, that the assault on Ian Thomlinson was far from being an isolated incident during the G20 protest."

"I have been copied in to a large number of the reports of alleged police unprovoked assaults and misbehaviour which are now on the desk of the Independent Police Complaints Commission. It's time for Paul Stephenson to restore public trust by showing that lessons will be learned. The use of kettling has to be curtailed and all officers seen acting unprofessionally must be traced and disciplined. Any attempt to avoid accountability by hiding police uniform numbers, destroying video images, or collusion over statements, must be severely dealt with."

"I'm writing to the Mayor of London with some ideas about how to improve policing protests for the future, but I have two further questions for the Met:

1) Will they search their own video footage of 1st April for similar police abuse of peaceful protesters?

2) Will they revise their tactic of snatching protesters' cameras and camera phones?"

URL: http://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/15-04-2009-further-G20-policing-questions.html

MPA vice chair Kit Malthouse responds to commissioner's request for HMIC G20 public order policing review

'I welcome the Commissioner's swift and decisive action in asking the HMIC to review the Public Order policing tactics used during G20, which will also report to the MPA.

'It is vital that the police retain the trust of Londoners and a thorough review by the HMIC will be crucial to help inform conclusions about how public order events should be policed in the future.

'The most recent footage of G20 is alarming and I also fully support the Commissioner referring the matter to the IPCC and suspending the officer concerned pending the outcome of the independent investigation.

'The MPA has already convened an urgent meeting of its members to review tactics employed during G20 protests and will be questioning the Commissioner about this matter in public at its meeting on 30 April.

'While we take this matter extremely seriously, it is worth pointing out that the Metropolitan Police are responsible for maintaining public order during dozens of protests throughout the year. The vast majority pass off peacefully, and the recent demonstration by the Tamil Community in Parliament Square is an example of this. Nevertheless we cannot afford to skate over even isolated incidents and must get to the truth and learn the lessons of both this incident, that involving Ian Tomlinson, and the G20 generally.'

Death of Ian Tomlinson: did police "kettling" of demonstrators contribute to death of innocent man?

Jenny Jones, the Metropolitan Police Authority member who has formally complained over police tactics during the G20 demonstrations, has spoken out again today (1).

Ms Jones, a Green Party member of the London Assembly and her party's spokesperson on home affairs, said today:

"I'm very concerned about reports gradually coming out about the death of Ian Tomlinson.

"He appears to have been an innocent man. Did he get caught up in attempts by police and dog handlers to clear this area? Are the reports that he fell while being chased by police true?

"And did the policy of 'kettling' demonstrators contribute to his death?"

She continued: "I will also be seeking reassurances from the Commissioner that there will be no possibility of collusion amongst police officers over statements regarding his death and the IPCC iinvestigation. This was one of the recommendations from the IPCC following the Jean Charles inquiry."

**Eyewitness to death of Ian Tomlinson**

Meanwhile reports have continued to come in to the Green Party's central office from party members who were at the demonstration - including a report from a Manchester Green who watched as Ian Tomlinson died (2). Gayle O'Donovan said today:

"The behaviour of the police was the worst I have seen on any demonstration. Late in the evening we got a call from a friend trapped in the police cordon outside the Bank of England. He had been there for several hours in the heat with no water after receiving a head injury. We were concerned for our friend and others trapped in these conditions. We wanted to bring them water but the police, for reasons best known to themselves, would not allow us to give it out.

"A few minutes later we crossed the road and saw several medics begin CPR on a man lying on the ground. We later found out this to be Mr Tomlinson, the man who died. I certainly didn't see any of the paramedics being pelted with bottles or stones, as was reported by the police.

"It was later divulged that Mr Tomlinson was on his way home from work and probably not a protester. I believe he most likely became trapped due to police tactics on the day. The police were indiscriminate about who they corraled. They shut off an area trapping everyone inside. Parents and children, the elderly and passers-by can often get caught up."

Ms O'Donovan concluded, "The tactic's known as 'kettling' because of the effect it has on those enclosed - basically it raises the temperature and makes an outbreak of anger far more likely. It is a dangerous tactic that I think must now be investigated."

(MPA) MPA Domestic Violence Board expands remit to take on Sexual Violence

The MPA Domestic Violence Board is formally expanding its remit and oversight responsibilities to include sexual violence and will re-launch as the Domestic and Sexual Violence Board on 3 April 2009.

Cindy Butts, MPA member and chair of the Board said:

"This is an exciting and challenging step forward. I hope we will have the same success with supporting the development of the MPS response to sexual violence as the Board achieved with domestic abuse. We will support partnership work across the MPS to ensure safety for victims and increase public confidence that domestic and sexual violence will be dealt with most seriously by the MPS.

"Like so many areas of criminal activity, it is only by working in partnership and learning from each other's experiences of what actually works on the ground can we really tackle this brutal crime and make a real and lasting difference for victims."

The Board will perform a key role in supporting and scrutinising the MPA as it prepares to move the Sapphire Teams which investigate sexual violence into one central command. The Board is also the independent mechanism by which the MPA monitors and scrutinises the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) performance in tackling these crimes.

Commander Mark Simmons, of the MPS Violent Crime Unit, said;

"The Board has played an important role in assisting the Met in improving service delivery and holding perpetrators accountable in relation to domestic violence. I look forward to continuing the relationship in the wider and critically important arena of violence against women"

The MPA Domestic and Sexual Violence Board is developing in tandem with the upcoming Mayoral London Violence against Women Strategy. The Board will also ensure any issues resulting from the National Violence against Women Strategy are integrated fully into police practice.

The Board requests Borough Operational Command Units to report their response to domestic and sexual violence within their borough, and invites guests and professionals from the community to facilitate open discussion of local issues. It also brings together national and pan-London organisations such as the Crown Prosecution Service, Greater London Authority, the Havens and Greater London Domestic Violence Project in order to harness their specialist knowledge and expertise.

The Board also focuses on specific policy areas annually - last year topics included disproportionality and child protection.

MPA: Londoners are vital in helping to maintain community confidence in policing

The Metropolitan Police Authority firmly believes that anyone arrested by the police and held in custody has the right to be treated well and have access to good facilities.

But who guarantees this?

Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) make unannounced visits to police stations to provide an independent check that detainees are treated in accordance with their rights and entitlements and ensure their welfare is maintained.

ICVs are ordinary members of the community who, working in teams in their local boroughs, call at police stations unannounced and write short reports about their visits.

Their recommendations can require the police to make improvements for the welfare of detainees, and the work they carry out plays a valuable role in maintaining public confidence in this important area of policing.

To raise awareness of the scheme amongst Londoners, the Authority has commissioned a 30 second radio advert which broadcasts on Choice FM (96.9FM) from Monday 23 March.

Listen to the MPA advert: http://www.mpa.gov.uk/partnerships/icv/radioadvert