From SlafordOnline.comG20 Protester's death - the eyewitness account
by Martin Baxter in London
Witnesses to the death of a man during yesterday’s G20 protests in the City of London have called for an official enquiry into the incident after seeing what they believe was a murder on the streets of London.
Ian Tomlinson, 47, was apparently on his way home from work as a newsagent, and allegedly collapsed and suffered a heart attack during the protest.
The allegations were made after the widow of the man today lead a march for her partner who she said “died for the crimes of capitalism.”
One female witness who wished to remain anonymous talked of “police brutality and heartlessness” and directly implicated members of the police force in the “murder” of the protester who, in tributes left outside the Royal Exchange in the city, was described as a “hero.”
She spoke of the “unwarranted” attack made by “masked policemen in riot gear.” After being struck in the head by a police baton she said the man was then bloodied and left unconscious on the street.
Ian Tomlinson collapsed in St Michael's Alley close to the junction of Birchin Lane and Cornhill at 7.30pm.
She said the police had formed an “animal pen” around the protesters to contain what was slowly becoming a heated encounter.
In a statement made on behalf of the dead man's wife, witnesses were urged to come forward and give statements to expose what was called “the failures of both the police and members of the media in the accurate reporting of yesterdays incident.”
Today’s memorial procession began just metres from the RBS headquarters in The City, that has in recent times become the symbol of corporate capitalism, culminating in a gathering of over 200 protesters, journalists and passers-by who joined those in grief for the man described as a “brother of the revolution.”
A police spokesman said officer sent in police medics through the cordon line and into St Michael's Alley, where they found a man who had stopped breathing.
The officers then apparently took the decision to move him as, during this time, a number of missiles ,believed to be plastic bottles, were being thrown at them."
The death has since been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
A spokesman said: "IPCC investigators will be assessing the circumstances throughout the day. They will be examining CCTV and attending the post-mortem this afternoon, as is usual in cases of this nature.
"When all the available information has been assessed, the IPCC will make a decision about the level of involvement it needs to have in progressing the investigation into this case."
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