Caught on video... another G20 policeman lashes out at protester

By Daniel Boffey and Christopher Leake

• Watchdog probes third alleged attack

• Disturbing new film piles more pressure on Met

Disturbing new pictures last night raised further questions over the police’s ‘disproportionate’ handling of the G20 protests in London.

Film released by the environmental campaign group Climate Camp shows an officer apparently punching a protester in the face. The victim’s head rocks back and another officer appears to try to restrain his colleague by pulling him back.

In another development, a separate claim by a 23-year-old man that officers hit him on the head and pushed him to the ground became the third G20 incident to be referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

In the first, a policeman has been interviewed under caution on suspicion of manslaughter after a second post-mortem examination revised the cause of death of newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson.

Scroll down to watch the video footage

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Thump: A Met police officer punches a G20 protester in the face, prompting the man to reel back

Mr Tomlinson, 47, from East London, was struck and pushed over by a policeman during protests on April 1 and died of abdominal bleeding, not a heart attack as first thought.

The IPCC is also investigating claims by unemployed former drug addict Nicola Fisher, 35, from Brighton, that she was hit in the face by a police sergeant and then hit on her legs with his metal baton.

The latest film was given to Climate Camp, which organised demonstrations outside the European Climate Exchange building on Bishopsgate in the City of London, by documentary maker James Bayliss-Smith.

The footage appears to show a policeman punching an unidentified protester in the face with his right hand as he holds his shield in his left hand.

He is wearing full riot gear and seems to be part of a line of police attempting to move protesters on from Bishopsgate at 12.52am on April 2.

Ian Tomlinson reacts after being pushed to the ground by the officer circled. He died of abdominal bleeding a short time later

The attacked man does not appear to be armed or to be threatening police officers. It is not known whether the man has made a formal complaint.

Mr Bayliss-Smith, 29, from Cambridge, said: ‘I was at a vantage point above the incident. It is disgusting what was happening out there.

‘That part of the protest was entirely peaceful. Then the officers decided to clear the streets, caused chaos and one appeared to punch a protester. It cannot be acceptable for this to happen.’

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘The Met’s investigation team is assessing the material. If necessary we will refer it to the IPCC.’

This Metropolitan police officer was suspended after beating a female protester with his baton

The Yard also confirmed that the incident involving the 23-year-old man had been referred to the IPCC.

The IPCC said in a statement: ‘The IPCC has received over 185 complaints relating to G20. Just under 90 complaints are about the use of force by police officers during the protests.’

And in another development last night, it was revealed that City of London coroner Paul Matthews denied the IPCC permission to attend the first post mortem on Mr Tomlinson.

IPCC chiefs were said to be ‘furious’ at the ban. The examination concluded Mr Tomlinson died of a heart attack, which has now been contradicted by the second post-mortem, to which IPCC officials were given access.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary Chris Huhne said last night: ‘The case for a full independent inquiry into the policing of protests is now compelling. It looks more and more as if there was a cover-up by people in the Metropolitan Police about the circumstances of Ian Tomlinson’s death.’

Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesman David Howarth, who was at the G20 protests as a parliamentary observer, said the attack seen in the latest footage was ‘disproportionate’.

He said: ‘These shocking videos make it clear that the policing, even of peaceful protests, was disproportionate and heavy-handed.

‘The police’s reputation will not be enhanced by the footage of shields smashed in faces and haymaker punches. These are not the first examples of this sort of conduct that I have come across.’

Frances Wright, a lawyer acting for Climate Camp, said: ‘Press coverage and citizen footage of the G20 protests raise serious doubts about the lawfulness of the tactical decision-making by senior police officers and appear to provide solid evidence of a significant number of assaults by officers.’

Yard chief rebukes his top aides over hidden ID numbers

Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson has given a ‘dressing down’ to two of his senior aides for failing to ensure officers obeyed his orders to wear identification numbers on the shoulders of their uniforms at all times.

Assistant Commissioners Rose Fitzpatrick and Chris Allison – who are responsible for 20,000 officers – were told to ‘get a grip’.

The row came after a PC was pictured at a protest outside Parliament on Wednesday with his number hidden. It followed footage of a Met sergeant accused of assaulting protester Nicola Fisher at the G20 demo who also failed to display his ID.

A senior source said last night: ‘The Commissioner hauled in the two senior officers and gave them a b********g. He hopes that now his orders will go straight down the line and be obeyed.’

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