An "independent" enquiry has been announced into the stasi's activities at the G20 demos, this, of course, is being run by a, wait for it -
policeman - note - "independent", and "policeman" for a
police enquiry -no chance of any bias there then! ............
Having seen a boneheaded police apologist on TV last night saying that the psycho bully-boy who was filmed beating a little girlie was "using his baton correctly", I have no doubt it will be a total whitewash!
- here's the story...........
"Metropolitan police chief launches inquiry into G20 protest tactics
All aspects of public order policing, including techniques such as kettling used at G20 protests, to be examined in review
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/apr/16/g20-protest-policing-tactics-review"The Metropolitan police's tactics for protests are to be reviewed in a wide-ranging independent inquiry announced yesterday, amid growing evidence of violent behaviour by officers at the G20 protests.
Denis O'Connor, chief inspector of constabulary, who will carry out the review, said last night he would examine all aspects of the Met's public order policing, including techniques such as kettling – the containment of thousands of protesters inside police cordons for hours at a time.
O'Connor has been called in by Met commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson, who said yesterday the move had been prompted by concern over policing of the G20 protests. The Met will scour its own surveillance footage of the demonstrations in the City of London to search for further evidence of police misconduct.
Stephenson said concern over policing at the G20 protests this month prompted him to ask O'Connor to conduct an independent review into public order tactics.
O'Connor said his inquiry would involve interviews with Met officers of "all levels" about their actions. He also asked protesters or bystanders caught up in the operation to contact the inspectorate with their views.
"I thought it was necessary and timely for an independent look at the tactics police use in relation to protest," he said. His inquiry would ask whether the Met had strayed from "the British way" of policing protest, using minimum force.
A second issue will be whether officers are justified and proportionate in "the use of force" when dealing with protesters.
The Guardian plans to give the Independent Police Complaints Commission seven new videos today that illustrate alleged police brutality or questionable tactics in the protests. The footage, shot by film-makers and bystanders, includes:
• Images shot moments before Ian Tomlinson was attacked, and in the same street, that appear to show an officer throwing a person, possibly a woman, to the ground.
• Another video sequence taken moments before Tomlinson was attacked that shows a dog handler releasing a dog which bites the arm of a man who had just turned his back on officers.
• A senior City of London officer using the Public Order Act in an apparent attempt to clear journalists from a memorial event for Tomlinson on 2 April. The Met later apologised for using the law to disperse the media.
• What appear to be two undercover or plainclothes officers marching alongside uniformed riot police. One plainclothes officer is holding a baton.
• A police charge on mainly peaceful demonstrators at the Climate Camp in Bishopsgate. The protesters have their hands in the air and chant: "This is not a riot."
After the footage depicting Tomlinson was published, the IPCC launched a criminal inquiry into his death.
The home secretary, Jacqui Smith, welcomed the O'Connor review, which will be made public. "There are obvious areas of concern and the sad death of Mr Tomlinson and the incident involving the actions of an individual officer have rightly been referred to the IPCC," she said.
Stephenson's decision to request a root and branch inquiry was seen last night as an attempt to stem the crisis that has gripped Scotland Yard since the Guardian obtained the Tomlinson footage.
The 47-year-old was hit with a baton and thrown to the ground while on his way home from work on 1 April. He had attempted to cross police cordons around the Bank of England "kettle". The Met initially made no comment about Tomlinson's contact with police and wrongly claimed protesters had impeded medics from treating him.
Two officers from the Met's Territorial Support Group have been suspended after being filmed by bystanders at G20 protests. Neither officer's badge number was visible and both were seen using their batons in apparently unwarranted attacks.
The first, who struck Tomlinson, will be questioned shortly by the IPCC. The second, a TSG sergeant, was suspended on Tuesday after footage showed him slapping a woman standing outside a "kettle" formed at the 2 April memorial vigil. He then struck her legs with a baton.
Announcing the review, Stephenson said the Met's G20 policing operation – codenamed Glencoe – had been complex and required senior officers to ensure the movement across the capital of many heads of state while balancing the right to lawful protest.
"It is also the case that a number of complaints have been raised in relation to the tactic of containment and as to whether this achieves that balance," he said. "I want to be reassured that the use of this tactic remains appropriate and proportionate.
"As well as the post-event investigation into those responsible for violence and disorder, I have also ensured that footage in police possession is reviewed to identify any other matters of individual police conduct that may warrant investigation."
He added: "One matter that I also want to make clear is that uniformed police officers should be identifiable at all times by their shoulder identification numbers. The public has a right to be able to identify any uniformed officer whilst performing their duty."
