This is a terribly disturbing story that if proven should have serious consequences. You may recall a man (Ian Tomlinson) died during the London G-20 protests though the story had been sketchy and difficult to follow. The footage that The Guardian is providing suggests the man had nothing to do with the protests and was walking (reportedly, home from work) past the Metropolitan police. The video inside shows him walking past the police with hands in his pockets as he was struck hard from behind, twice. Ian Tomlinson died minutes after this happened.
The protests at the G-20 (and practically every global meeting of this type) consistently do a great job of destroying the credibility of legitimate protest as they get carried away with violence for the sake of violence. Rather than rallying people to a good cause, the few goons in the groups make everyone and the cause look like idiots. And yes, the violent protesters are complete idiots who should be thrown in jail. In the particular case of Ian Tomlinson, appears to have been a victim of violence but not by protesters. He made the mistake of walking home from work and minding his own business.
Ian Tomlinson, the man who died at last week's G20 protests in London, was attacked from behind and thrown to the ground by a baton-wielding police officer in riot gear, dramatic footage obtained by the Guardian shows..
Moments after the assault on Tomlinson was captured on video, he suffered a heart attack and died.
The Guardian is preparing to hand a dossier of evidence to the police complaints watchdog. It sheds fresh light on the events surrounding the death of the 47-year-old newspaper seller, who had been on his way home from work when he was confronted by lines of riot police near the Bank of England.
