Witnesses Statement: Death at G20

Icon_article Star-blue1 Published: April 02, 2009 21:10 by imc london

Tagged as: g20 tomlinson witnesses
Neighbourhoods: bank city_of_london cornhill

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Various participants in the City of London demonstrations on April 1st have come forward as witnesses to the collapse of a man later identified by authorities as Ian Tomlinson.  Four different university students witnessed the collapse of Mr. Tomlinson.  "He stumbled towards us from the direction of police and protestors and collapsed," said Peter Apps.  "I saw a demonstrator who was a first aider attend to the person who had collapsed.  The man was late 40s, had tattoos on his hands, and was wearing a Millwall shirt."

While the first aider was helping the man, another demonstrator with a megaphone was calling the police over so that they could help. 

Natalie Langford, a student at Queen Mary, said "there was a police charge.  A lot of people ran in our direction. The woman giving first aid stood in the path of the crowd." The running people, seeing a guy on the ground, went around them.

Another demonstrator had already called 999 and was getting medical advice from the ambulance dispatcher. "Four police with two police medics came. They told her [the first aider] to 'move along'.", said Peter Apps. "Then they pushed her forcibly away from him. They refused to listen to her [the first aider] when she tried to explain his condition."

The first aider, who did not wish to be named, said "The police surrounded the collapsed man.  I was standing with the person who'd called 999. The ambulance dispatcher wanted to talk to the police, the phone was being held out to them, but the police refused."

Another witness, Elias Stoakes, added "we didn't see them [the police] perform CPR."

Other people who had tried to stay with the collapsed man were also pushed away. 

All of the witnesses deny the allegation that many missiles were thrown. 

According to Peter Apps, "one bottle was thrown, but it didn't come close to the police.  Nothing was thrown afterwards as other demonstrators told the person to stop.  The person who threw the bottle probably didn't realize that someone was behind the ring of police." All the witnesses said that the demonstrators were concerned for the well-being of the collapsed man once they realized that there was an injured person.

Natalie Langford said "when the ambulance arrived the protestors got straight out of the way." 

These witnesses are happy to give media statements. 

They can be contacted through this press liasion email: g20witnesses@gmail.com

See video of two of the witnesses giving their statement: full interview | early clip

Statement in German

Email Contact email: g20witnesses@gmail.com

Additions

sounds familiar

Comment Published: April 03, 2009 06:17 by Susan

I attended the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN 2008 in the US. In an unprovoked action at the Poor People's March the riot police swarmed and took down a Portland Indy Media reporter. As people followed them as they dragged her behind enemy lines shouting "let he go", a man had a grand mal seizure. While a street medic attended him and demonstrators called for help, the police stood there. I was filming and saw not one police person even call for assistance. The demonstrators not only called for assistance, but protected the man from a corporate media photographer, who was trying to photograph him.

http://rochester.indymedia.org/newswire/display/21730/index.php

Applez

Comment Published: April 03, 2009 13:05 by Anon

Just a reminder to the above poster who believes the persons death was a result of a heart attack.
Until a post mortem is carried out, nobody knows the cause of this mans death, and uninformed speculation from eyewitnesses does not help anyone.

Police were with the man before he collapsed

Comment Published: April 03, 2009 17:59 by Leeza McQueen

The Guardian reported that there is footage of the man who is lying down and sitting while talking to 5 riot police. He is seen to raise one arm into the air. Then he is helped to his feet by a member of the public and walks a few yards and collapses. I think that he has been hurt or taken a turn and been moved on, even though he tried to tell them that he ill.

spread the word

Comment Published: April 03, 2009 18:43 by pfm

By watching, rating, voting, sharing the video here:

http://current.com/items/89940880/full_intreview_with_eyewitnesses_of_g20_death.htm

http://blip.tv/file/1952722

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTCwQt3zBq8

Kettling unabled to get out despite serious medical condition

Comment Published: April 07, 2009 17:11 by Djin

I have type 1 diabetes. I was hemmed into the kettle outside the Bank of England from the beginning. After a few hours my Diabetic levels began to take a turn for the worst so I approached my nearest police cordon to request I be allowed to exit as I was feeling unwell and required to eat and medicate. I showed the police officers my diabetic equipment and needles to confirm this. Instead of letting me go they jeered and smirked at me and said under no terms was anyone to leave. Becoming anxious I then walked over to the next cordon of police, again requesting leave on the grounds of my medical condition requiring treatment. This cordon was more aggressive than the first commanding me instead to 'get back'. When i attempted to explain I was charged at by 3 officers and assaulted. I took their numbers: (U2408, U2383, and U2249). Following this I found three commanding officers (photos taken) and discussed my need to be granted exit due to medical condition.These three also seemed bemused telling me to 'speak to one of the officers'. When I replied, i tried a few times and have been assaulted by them, the senior officers simply laughed and continued to walk on. I find this tactic of hemming everybody in without exceptions highly negligent and dangerous, and as a result of the duration of hours I myself was hemmed in for with my medical condition worsening I have suffered a number of medical set backs since and have been too unwell to leave the house. I certainly was not a threat to public safety, as none of us were. Luckily I managed to escape this situation without falling into a coma, but next time who can tell unless this barbaric tactic is overturned.

@ medical condition

Comment Published: April 07, 2009 17:58 by cupatea

Hi Djin,

Your account of how you were treated is really moving. I can't say I'm surprised really, cops have been showing nothing but contempt for people's well being lately. I heard that some people want to take the policy of containment to European Human Rights Courts, I can imagine that your statement would be valuable evidence for such a case (see https://london.indymedia.org.uk/videos/1055) Also you can get in touch with the Climate Camp Legal Team at legal [at] climatecamp [dot] org [dot] uk.

thanks for speaking up

petition

Comment Published: April 07, 2009 18:03 by corssposter

there's also an online petition against kettles that people can sign: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/kettling/

Bluecloud

Comment Published: April 07, 2009 18:06 by Gary Evans

So it now turns out he was attacked by the police. Video footage shows him being attacked from behind by a masked policeman:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/07/video-g20-police-assault

We cannot let the bastard who did this get away without punishment! This is possible manslaughter.
Where is the law when we need it?