Morning:
9°c
Key questions the Met must now answer
Evening Standard8 Apr 2009
The key questions the Met must now answer:
1. Exactly how many times did police come into contact with Mr Tomlinson and, crucially, were there, as has been claimed, two separate clashes involving him?
2. How many officers either pushed, struck or otherwise manhandled Mr Tomlinson between his departure from the Monument news stand where he had been working and the moment of his collapse about 30 minutes later?
3. Was Mr Tomlinson hit while on the ground and did he bang his head after falling, as has been claimed in witness testimony?
4. If there was a second clash prior to the incident shown in the video footage, did the officers concerned receive any provocation from Mr Tomlinson — either verbal or physical — that might explain the force used in the filmed incident?
5. Did the officers act in accordance with the instructions given by their superiors when dealing with him or was the level of force used beyond what was meant to happen according to the plans drawn up for policing the G20 protest?
6. Why did the Met fail to realise sooner that its initial statement that Mr Tomlinson had not been involved in any clash with police prior to his collapse was inaccurate, and was any effort made to check whether he might have come into contact with officers in any separate incident — as now turns out to be the case?
