Woman protester ‘lost baby’ in clash with G20 police

An official investigation says the 23-year-old woman began bleeding heavily but was prevented from leaving the area for five hours by the police "kettling" tactic.

The woman, who said she does not know for sure if she was pregnant, described the violence "as unnecessary, disproportionate and inhumane," adding: "I feel violated."

The Independent Police Complaints Commission said the woman was forcibly pushed with a "short" shield and struck by an officer's forearm after being trapped at the front of a group of demonstrators as police moved forwards.

The blows connected with her chest and neck. She says she suffered bruising on her arms and legs when she was kicked by police at the Climate Camp in Bishopsgate on 1 April.

The IPCC said her experience was typical of many peaceful protesters there. They said the shield tactic was developed by the Met and had not been approved nationally by senior officers. The commission called on the police to make immediate changes to the way they control public protests.

Speaking about the woman's failed attempts to leave the scene after she began bleeding, the IPCC's Deborah Glass said: "It is difficult to see how this could possibly have been justified." The woman, who has not been named, told the IPCC: "The police used excessive force against me causing me to suffer bruises, swellings and potentially a miscarriage. I will probably never know or be able to prove that I was pregnant but I feel very distressed that this may have happened."

It is the latest claim of police violence and comes days after a file on the death of Ian Tomlinson was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service.

The 47-year-old newspaper seller died minutes after being pushed to the ground by an officer near the Bank of England. His death sparked an outcry over the way police handled the protests during the summit of world leaders.

The officer involved, a member of the Territorial Support Group, has been interviewed under caution on suspicion of manslaughter. A TSG sergeant faces two assault charges after two women alleged he struck them.

The woman at the Climate Camp told the IPCC she was caught between an advancing line of riot police with officers shouting "get back" and an immovable crowd behind her.

People at the front were crushed and she described being struck in the face and body with shields and batons.

Later the woman sat on the ground with a friend and began to bleed heavily. She was not allowed to leave the area for four to five hours.

The IPCC says the woman's doctor confirmed that she suffered bruising but he was unable to say if she had been pregnant. However, he said the likelihood that she had miscarried was low. The woman told the IPCC she did not want any action taken against individual officers but wanted police to learn from her experience. The IPCC says it identified a group of officers involved in the complaint but did not identify individuals in line with her wishes. The group included officers from the TSG.

In a statement Scotland Yard said there was a "real opportunity for lessons to be learnt".

Senior officers must review public order training, warn participants of their plans and allow vulnerable people to leave, the IPCC said.

The IPCC report backs recommendations already made by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. The HMIC criticised the police tactic of kettling which pens crowds into a small area. City of London police revealed that a total of 36 people have now been charged in connection with the G20 riots.