Son 'wants answers' after G20 death

Apr 8 2009

The son of the man who died during the London G20 protests has demanded answers after footage emerged of a police officer shoving his father to the ground.

In the video, Ian Tomlinson is seen walking with his hands in his pockets when the helmeted officer lunges at him from behind.

The footage was filmed during the protests outside the Bank of England last Wednesday.

The 47-year-old falls heavily to the floor. He remonstrates with police officers before being helped to his feet by passers-by. Moments later he collapsed to the ground and died of a heart attack.

After watching the footage, Mr Tomlinson's son, Paul King, 26, said his father had left work selling the Evening Standard at Monument Station at about 7pm.

He was trying to make his way home but police at a number of barricades were not allowing people through. He said the video showed police did have contact with his father.

But he told the Guardian: "Whether that was a cause to his death we are not to know. We want answers: why? Ian clearly had his arms in his pockets and his back towards the police."

The family want investigators to interview the officer who pushed Mr Tomlinson to the ground and other officers who were close by. The death is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

The footage was reportedly shot by a fund manager from New York who was in London on business. It was taken at about 7.20pm at Royal Exchange Passage. The man, who has not been named, said: "The primary reason for me coming forward is that it was clear the family were not getting any answers."

The newspaper said the video would be handed to the police complaints watchdog as part of a "dossier of evidence" which also includes a collection of witness statements and photographs in the aftermath of the alleged attack.