IAN TOMLINSON UNLAWFULLY KILLED BY BRITISH POLICE

[dotnet]

I'm hugely relieved that, at last, it looks as if there will have to be recognition by the police that they behaved dishonourably over this whole desperately sad business.

I haven't followed it any more closely than most people I suppose, but I know that the Crown Prosecution Service was slow to take up the case, only doing so when faced with camera evidence sent over by someone in the US who had been present at the demo in which Mr Tomlinson was killed. And the police used a now discredited pathologist ('Fred Patel' was the name I heard on the radio) who gave an 'inaccurate' asssesment of cause of death - which muddied the waters further.

I trust the PC by whose hand Mr Tomlinson was unlawfully killed, WILL face a manslaughter charge. Which is not to say I take any pleasure in the repercussions which will fall on him and his family if and when this happens - but the greatest suffering is being borne by Mr Tomlinson's family - Ian Tomlinson had perhaps forty or more years of precious life taken away.

Will our police ever learn their lesson? Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison claimed at the March meeting of the parliamentary committee on human rights looking at police behaviour at last year's student demos*, that lessons HAD been learned, post G20. Yet, after considering the evidence, the all-party committee decided in March that police behaviour towards the students was 'disproportionate.'

In my opinion, it could easily have been that that they killed yet again on one of those occasions - Alfie Meadows came perilously close to death at their hands.

What is wrong with our police, that these deaths happen when people are in their proximity? Is it bad training - or poor selection of individuals into the police service in the first place?

*HL paper 123/HC684

I, too, was glad to see this news and hope that it will lead to more sensitive policing of large events.

Seeing the footage of Ian Tomlinson, strolling along with his hands in his pockets before being brought down by an unprovoked blow from behind, was so sad. Poor man. I hope this will help his family 'move on' (horrible phrase, but can't think of anything else.)

Like Dotnet, I wonder if there is a failing in police training. Ian Tomlinson was doing nothing to provoke anyone, but there is so much footage of police officers, eg. Delroy Smellie, striking out in response to 'provocation' (which could be just a refusal to move) by unarmed people I do wonder why they aren't better trained to respond more appropriately and professionally. Of course, they are human like the rest of us, but lashing out seems to be a first resort in too many cases.

There was a comment in a discussion on, I think, the 1 o'clock news today. 'Dress your police as robocop and they'll act like robocop'. Once they get all that gear on I can see how that would get the adrenalin going and cloud judgement. And some policemen are clearly not the right temperament for a riot-control job to start with. Contrast with the excellent crowd control at Friday's wedding by police on horseback or in standard uniform. Then again, unlike the crowd on Friday, there are definitely people who only go to demonstrations in order to cause trouble. Difficult to be facing down missiles and spitting masked rioters one minute and expected to be Dixon of Dock Green the next.

The attack on Mr.Tomlinson was unprovoked. I feel that some police should not be in the force at all. They are thugs, if they were not in the poice force they would be in prison, like some of those they catch. Brian Paddick one of the previous commanders said that the group SPG they were called that before, 'get a gang mentality' and will basically try to cover up for other officers no matter what they have done. Without the film footage, Ian Tomlinson's assault would have been denied. Mr. Tomlinson was not well and had a damaged liver, the blow with a truncheon was the last straw, plus he was violently 'pushed over'. I'm very pleased for his family that the inquest has that found he was unlawfullly killled.

I heard on the news another recent story where the police went in to arrest a suspected terrorist and beat him up. They had previously been bugging his house, so they also unwittingly recorded themselves attacking the suspect ...

I can't remember if the man was charged or killed or what happened to him.

But the police have got to behave themselves.

Good point, Chil, about the uniforms.

get real you sad people, the guy was on a riot, he was only pushed, he fell end of story. his family are there for any money they can get, they had disowned him before hand. the arab is a terrorist waiting to go to the USA to serve life no parole. he is scum if the police did it good they should have just shot him. you people need to get out in the real world more, we need strong policing when dealing with rioting scum students and the like.

One question, why did none of the officers who say Tomlinson pushed over arrest the thug who pushed him and charge him with assault.

I am 100% certain that if it was not on video then it would have all been swept under the carpet.

He was a newspaper seller, not a rioter, you pillock thereiver...

why are the student protestors scum? how would you have them show their unhappiness at the fees?

thereiver = infantile troll.