A slow motion disaster: Media coverage of Tomlinson death is reminiscent of McCanns in Portugal

The slow motion saga that the media is unfolding before our very eyes is almost reminiscent of the irresponsible and piecemeal way that they covered the disappearance of Madeline McCann.

The first I heard of Mr Timlinson was as an unnamed protester who died at the G20 protests last week. Police battled to save him under a barrage of missiles and bottles from other violent and rowdy protesters.

Then it turned out that he wasn't even there to protest. He was a 50 year old newspaper vendor who had been caught up in the "riots" on his way home from work. He was a great guy according to all his friends and he would be leaving behind a wife and grown up kids.

A couple of days ago it was suggested that he was in fact beaten by police as he tried to get home and then all of a sudden there it was...all caught on camera. He was blatantly beaten...twice it turns out. At this point I was looking forward to writing a scathing article about police brutality and failure of the state (for a change). Immediately after the attack he looked up from the floor in confusion and bewilderment. When he got up to get away, I felt sick as I saw the man stumbling and looking confused, innocent, vulnerable and violated.

In the morning news today it was announced that the police officer caught on camera beating Mr. Tomlinson has come forward and has been suspended until the IPCC can conduct a full enquiry. A bit strange I thought, a bit brave perhaps and in reality absolutely inevitable I suppose. His family who by this time had made double page spreads in most of the national papers had demanded answers and it looked like they were going to get them...with a well deserved lynching.

Then the evening news breaks that Tomlinson had in fact been at the protests for a while and wasn't perhaps on his way home from work at all but for a slightly different reason. He was said to be inebriated. In fact the article also said that he had been estranged from his previously stated loving wife and family for a while and was living in some kind of half-way house for recovering alcoholics. He was wearing a Millwall football top and had been spotted all over the protests at varying times causing trouble and being manhandled by the police as a result. At one point he stood in front of a police vehicle and refused to move when asked and then ordered to do so. The article seemed to suggest that he was in fact there in the spirit of trouble and this is where I really started to wonder what on earth is going on.

At this point I wouldn't be surprised if the next story contains a statement from Jacqui Smith in which she announces that he has links to Al Quaida and is in fact Bin Ladden's number two in Europe, or that the policeman who beat him was Sir Fred Goodwin. It's a slow motion mess. We need to leave it alone until the IPCC and other officially appointed and authorised bodies report on findings based on full facts, otherwise what's the bloody point of having them. We might as well decide everything on the limited information and hunches that the media give us. It clearly worked well in the case of the McCanns! didn't it? I think the papers only lost a couple of £million in libel damages if my memory serves me correctly.

Either way, when the smoke and mirrors are taken away, I still struggle with the fact that nothing that came out of the G20 meeting is worth the death of anyone, however innocent and loved or wretched they are. The point is that we shouldn't be in any kind of position whatsoever where people are dying for politics in this country. Too many people died in the last century (as a consequence of economic failure) protecting the freedom and political values that are taken for granted today. If the loss of life at the hands of the authorities whilst exercising ones right to disagree with the government and protest, to get home or simply get drunk is still possible then we're no further forward than we were 100 years ago and that both makes me sad and mad!!!

Howarth: Full-scale criminal investigation into G20 protest death needed

The video which shows the man who died at last week’s G20 protests in London being hit from behind by a police officer, has been described by David Howarth as "sickening".

Liberal Democrat Shadow Justice Secretary, David Howarth, who attended the protests to monitor police behaviour, went on to say:

"This video clearly shows an unprovoked attack by a police officer on a passer by. It is sickening.

David went on to call for criminal investigation to find out the facts of the incident:

"There must be a full-scale criminal investigation. The officer concerned and the other officers shown in the video must immediately come forward.

"Questions must also be asked about the hyping up of the prospect of violence in the run up to the demonstrations. An atmosphere was created in which this sort of conduct became more likely."

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."