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By News editor Declan Wilkes The highest police inspectorate in the land is to scrutinise officer’s conduct over the G20 protests. Met Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson has asked Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Denis O'Connor, to review policing tactics - including the controversial "ketteling" procedure. The review follows video footage showing two alleged assaults by police during the demonstrations in London on 1 April. In one case an officer was caught batoning and pushing a man to the ground who later died. In the latest a woman was slapped and also struck with a baton after shouting at a sergeant . Both officers involved have been suspended and both had their police identity numbers obscured. The Independent Police Complaints Commission is handling both incidents. Sir Paul stressed that all uniformed officers must wear their shoulder identification numbers so that they are easily identifiable by the members of the public.
"Complex operation"
Speaking to the BBC, Sir Paul said the event was a "complex policing operation". He added that "a number of complaints have been raised in relation to the tactic of containment". Sir Paul said the G20 operation was one where officers had to ensure people had the right to 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. "I want to be reassured that the use of this tactic remains appropriate and proportionate. "Separately, I have already expressed my concern that the video footage of some police actions are clearly disturbing and should be thoroughly investigated. "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."
Pressure mounting on Met
The announcement of such a high profile investigation comes after mounting pressure on Scotland Yards senior officers. Last week Britain's top counter-terrorism officer, Bob Quick, resigned over a security leak that resulted in multiple raids being brought forward. An internal video broadcast was shown to all Metropolitan Police staff yesterday of Sir Paul outlining his "concerns" at the recent crisis engulfing the Met. The video was meant to address all MPS staff and underline the "leadership’s commitment to uphold standards".
Battle of Threadneedle Street - "Ketteling"
Riot police and mounted officers were involved in sporadic violence all day around the Bank of England, in has been dubbed "the Battle of Threadneedle Street". Thousands of peaceful demonstrators were sealed off around the Royal Exchange without access to water or toilet facilities for hours in a controversial police crowd control method called 'kettleing' that hemms people in.
IPCC backtrack over "absence" of CCTV
The chair of IPCC wrongly told Channel 4 news on Thursday that there was no CCTV evidence in the area newspaper salesman Ian Tomlinson was allegedly assaulted. Yesterday morning the IPCC initially stood by Hardwick's claims, saying: "Mr Hardwick said there was no available CCTV footage of the incident and we stand by that. Any footage that is available, whether taken by police or by the public, will be fully investigated as and when it becomes available." However, by 10.30am, after pictures were published showing cameras in the area, the IPCC changed its stance. Stating: "At this point, Mr Hardwick believed that he was correct in this assertion – we now know this may not be accurate, there are cameras in the surrounding area." The IPCC would not comment on why, almost two weeks after Tomlinson's death and one week after it saying investigators had pieced together his last moments by looking at "many hours of CCTV", that their boss had been mistaken about the locations of cameras. Former IPCC member John Crawley has accused the commission of being "too close" to the police - the investigation into Tomlinson's death was initially handed over to City of London police.
Cover up denied
Indications were that the man had died of natural causes, and then there were briefings that he had been struck by a missile. However, several corroborative witness statements were given that Tomlinson was either struck by a police baton on the back of the head or forcibly pushed resulting in a fall and blow to the skull on impact. Photo credit - Melanie Robinson
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