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A protester who was struck by a police riot shield may have miscarried during the G20 demonstrations in the City, it was revealed today.
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.
Reader views (44)
If you read the reports and listen to the interview, the woman does not know if she suffered a miscarriage, so she obviously did not know she may have been pregnant. This makes all the comments about pregnant women being in places where there may be potential harm to their unborn baby completely irrelevant.
What she says is that she started to bleed heavily whilst being beaten by police, and on going to see a doctor after the event she was informed that the bleeding could have been the result of a miscarriage.
One of the things that makes this country great is that it (apparently) lawfully gives people the right to protest. What kind of society would we live in if we couldn't stand up for what we believe in?
Don't blame the victims.
- Lohan, London, 10/08/2009 21:51
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maybe a pregnant woman thinks it all the more important to have a future for her baby and the planet when it's born! Why do people think it is right to remove someone's right to peaceful protest just because she is pregnant? If she thinks it's important to be there, she should have the right.
- Flopsy, london, uk, 09/08/2009 11:04
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What kind of potential mother would attend a "peaceful" protest knowing that they do not remain so "peaceful?" If she had any chance of being pregnant she should have stayed away.
- Cak, Chicago, USA, 06/08/2009 23:50
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I agree with Andre, London the police must immediately change their approach... Next time the Police should simply let the protesters get on with it.
I suspect however they would then have be criticised for their lack of action and held accountable for the disruption/damage to public and private property.
It's a case of dammed if you do and dammed if you don't. Some contributors to this comment thread are also amazingly paranoid!
- Jon, London, 06/08/2009 22:35
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Now a 65 year old retired teacher , when I was a young student in London I went on two peaceful demonstrations ,in support of Grundwig and the Miners strike. They were peaceful until police agents threw bottles at the police - who then charged the demonstrators with batons.How do I know this ? because I later saw the men who threw the bottles eating in the police canteen.The police also kicked the shins of demonstrators standing on pavements in nothing other than to provoke ; struck girls with their batons who were simply standing. I saw all this and it opened my eyes.I soon learnt that any peaceful demonstration is liable to become violent if the police are involved ; unless that is the police are outnumbered and frighted by the demonstrators i.e. miners themselves.
- Chris M, morbihan,france, 06/08/2009 19:26
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Did the police just stand back, as has been reported, and let the RBS windows be broken, for the "benefit" of the media?
- Jay, London, 06/08/2009 18:58
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If those who want to attend a lawful and peaceful demonstration are vaguely ‘advised’ that there might be some there with non-peaceful intentions and they take the personal consequences for being there, this hands the forces of anti-democracy an easy means of disabling a basic historic democratic right and need. One of the policeman’s principal duties is to enable people to go about their lawful business, not to impede it. The slope is getting steeper and ever more slippery. Tehran, Beijing, Harare, London ??
- Barnie, essex, 06/08/2009 18:06
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All pregnant women should stay home.
- Sophi - Ann, Trinidad, 06/08/2009 18:05
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Er, excuse me, whilst I support the right to peaceful demonstrations, what was she doing in the front of a crowd that needed to be pushed back by police shields? Clearly the crowd were not obeying police orders and standing back, and she was one of them.
May have had a miscarriage? Proof? What she had been belligerent? She should have been able to sense the mood of the crowd, and if they were hostile, she should not have been at the front, unless of course she was leading it.
- Hugh, Middx, 06/08/2009 17:59
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I really feel sorry for this woman who was in the middle of the G20 protest that could've been pregnant, I blame that police officer
- Paul, Wales,UK, 06/08/2009 17:31
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Scott of London alludes to the great unwashed bone idle out of work.
What about the great washed priveleged elite Bureaucrats who hide behind the three Ps policy,procedure,protocol at the Tax Payers expense.
In 2009 the class structure is alive and thriving.
- Barry Deane, Richmond, United Kingdom, 06/08/2009 17:31
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you attend a troublemaking protest organised by anarchists that have nothing better to do with their lives but abuse the systems and authority , sorry no sympathy at all .
"You took your choice you pay the price"
- Ronnie, UK, 06/08/2009 17:20
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Although the police were without doubt inept and heavy-handed, it is NOT responsible for a pregnant woman to attend a demo which was known as likely to involve violence at some point. She should have appreciated that the risk was too great.
- Nik Cholerton, London, 06/08/2009 17:11
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What was pregnant woman doing there in the first place?
- Albert Hall, hove england, 06/08/2009 17:05
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I work in the City and do not support the views of these protesters in any way. However, in a democracy people must have the right to demonstrate in public without being assaulted by Police.
I was absolutely appalled at the actions of the Police in dealing with these protests. The fact that the protests spilled over into violence in a small number of instances does not give the police the right to corral and confine the peaceful majority for hours on end. Innocent passers-by who had nothing to do with the protests - like Ian Tomlinson - also got caught up in the Police ‘kettle’.
It seems clear that some Police and, in particular, the TSG were all geared up to beat-up and bully protestors, safe in the knowledge that could not be identified behind their masks and without their identity numbers.
- City Worker, London, 06/08/2009 16:41
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She has given an interview to Newsnight with her identity hidden. Why? What she got to hide?
- Mike, Herts, 06/08/2009 16:35
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Dhan Raj - you may want to consider the possibility that at least some of those 'violent people' are in fact agent provocateurs deliberately placed to give the police an excuse to overreact; a situation which has been suggested may have occurred at the G20 protest.
- Bob U, Lampeter Wales, 06/08/2009 16:34
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I do recall seeing on TV somebody doing some damage to an RBS window and there may have been other offences of violence committed by individuals, and there are proper remedies to deal with both of those. But they do not include wrongful detention en masse, and a considerable amount of indiscriminate physical assault by policemen on those lawfully and peacefully demonstrating, most certainly not on those only trying to get home after work.
- Barnie, essex, 06/08/2009 16:08
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This is a Democracy,and people must be allowed to demonstrate peacefully about any issues they believe to be important,if you take away that basic human right then we are left to exist in a fascist police state,sometimes Britain looks horribly like that already,-vote this awful Government out of office at the next election,people power will always win in the end.
- Jacob, Canterbury Gulag England, 06/08/2009 15:37
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I'd be interested to know who issued the order to charge the Climate Camp after earlier in the day televised footage showed relations between police and campers to be quite amicable.
Mind you I am not sure what the police were up to on the day anyway. After footage emerged of Mr Tomlinson on the ground, I had a lengthy wrangle on a leading blog with someone who claimed to be a Met employee on the spot when Mr Tomlinson collapsed. He insisted there was a hail of bottles from the crowd who impeded the ambulance. When I challenged this, he said he was there and I was not and the footage shown was incomplete and he would be proved right. Of course all this seems to have been discounted. There was no hail of bottles.
He may have been an imposter but he wrote in authentic "police speak" and I now wonder if he was a plant of some sort, part of some Met "black" propaganda unit to manage the news and if not spin it, at least muddy it in their favour.
The City of London police also misled and concealed information from Mr Tomlinson's family. The police in London have got to start concealing the facts and start telling the truth if they want any respect from the public.
Finally I should just point out that attacking demonstrators with shields, as happened at G20, is NOT PART of official police training in crowd control.
- Mrs Jackson, London UK, 06/08/2009 15:27
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I am not excusing the behaviour of the police; its there for all to see on video or camera for themselves. But even if a demonstration or protest is billed as a peaceful one, there will always be elements in the crowd who go specifically with the intention to provoke a violent confrontation with the police. And all those on the march know that. Even the most peaceful demonstration can degenerate into violence; it only takes a few indiviuals and some innocent people inevitably get hurt. Its a risk that uou weigh up before you go.
- Dhan Raj, Basildon, 06/08/2009 15:23
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..and of course prisons are full of innocent victims. The police didn't want to be there. They are paid to do their job as best as they can. They were completely outnumbered and probably a bit worried that things would get out of control. Would you want to do that job???
I really feel sorry for them. They are in a no-win situation whatever they do against the great unwashed out of work bone idle trouble makers.
- Scott, london, uk, 06/08/2009 14:48
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Is it not a sad reflection that a few people posting comments seem to think protesting is in any way linked to violence and that people should expect violence in return for expressing concerns about the way the world is run or not?
Protesting is democracy in action and a right many have died protecting before labour got into power and the Police decided to change the rules and form a minor police state.
The Police went looking for trouble and did everything they could to provoke trouble. People should think before posting comments. The vast majority of people living in the UK have massive concerns about the way this country and the world is run and a protest is our only way to express these views, no matter what your colour, sex or abilities it is an absolute fundamental human right in this country to protest and the Police should not be allowed to intimidate people through violence. I know many who did not protest because they felt intimidated by the police and that is the fundamental problem here
- Gary, Brentwood, 06/08/2009 14:27
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These G20 protestors are anything but peaceful and their history of protesting this summit backs this up. They shout and scream abuse, charge the police at times and basically think they can do what they want and run riot like a bunch of frenzied lunatics. Truth remains, what is a pregnant women doing in this enviroment knowing full well what this crowd, and possibly herself, get up to there? There is no proof people miscarry their preganancies from a simple push, better chance of this happening from working their way into a frenzied state. Next time the police should give fair warning to the crwod to dispurse, and those still hell bent on rioting will be dispursed by water canons.
- Dirk Diggler, Soho, London, 06/08/2009 14:25
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I love - Sarahj, West country comment obviously this person has very selective watching / I take it you were a sleep with the latest police behaviour in Iran during the elections or the police conduct in France/Germany the week after the G20
I simple take it that you dont watch the news beyond the UK
I walked aroung the Climate Camp in Bishopsgate and pigs are cleaner and better behaved / they were drinking, smoking dope/ generaly making the place dirty
quite honestly the police shoudl had used water cannons
- London Eye, London, 06/08/2009 14:24
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I work right beside were the protest took place and seeing the actions of the protestors on that day and seeing the state of a lot of the protestors ie heavily influenced by drink and/or drugs I have every sympathy for the police.
If any protestors can let me know what was achieved that day by their protests except for a huge amount of damage to the climate by the fires that were lit, tons of rubbish left behind on the streets etc
- Sean, London, 06/08/2009 14:19
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William of H-H, can you really expect people to believe that the many recorded examples of police rough handling was, in effect, orchestrated and stage-managed by the demonstrators themselves? That is taking conspiracy theory and a degree in media studies a bit too far. Police have to exercise due care and proper judgement in carrying out their duties. The bully-boy's first excuse of 'he made me do it' doesn't stack up, from what I have seen of the published video footage.
- Barnie, essex, 06/08/2009 13:55
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She thinks she 'may' have been pregnant and 'may' have had a miscarriage. So, she 'may not' have been.
- Sue R, London, 06/08/2009 13:49
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How about next time the G20 is in town the police do nothing, let all the people who came down to cause violence and criminal damage do what they want
- Steven Jones, london, 06/08/2009 13:45
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I just see a bandwagon. The fact is that the allegation exists as unproven, but in some eyes will be seen as proving a whitewash.
There were a sizeable number of people that were intent on causing disruption, aggrevation and damage to property. Sorry that the Police could not identify the difference in the scrum.
It's about time these protesters grew up and faced up to the part they played in the demonstration.
- Charles, Kennington, 06/08/2009 13:45
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Sad how everyone with a banner seems to be trying to milk the situation for money And I thought they were there protesting about our over-reliance on the stuff !
- Keith Price, Luton England, 06/08/2009 13:41
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Andre: You weren't there and the evening TV news was carefully editted for effect. That's what TV news coverage does. Anyone turning up to a midweek demo in the City of London with rentamob in attendance should not bleat about the Police carrying out the wishes of those of us who are trying to earn a modest living in the area.
- Bj, London, 06/08/2009 13:23
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It was heavily publicised in the spring after the civil unrest in Greece and the rest of Europe. That type of behaviour was coming for the summer of discontent 2009. So the Government was on guard for this, with the Police suitably at the ready. Protest groups can change tactics at short notice, after all many are media students and understand the tactics to get correct coverage for their causes. They did so with characteristic aplomb, leaving the police that defend our rights to peaceful protest in limbo.
- William, Hay~Heath UK, 06/08/2009 13:21
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Let's all go on a riot when preggers.
Let's all walk into the fast lane of the M1 at Rush Hour.
- Tango Mike, Kensington, London, 06/08/2009 13:16
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There may well have been heavy tactics used, but in this particular instance, I have to ask what the girl thought she was doing there in the first place if she was bleeding heavily. Sounds to me like a complete lack of common sense on the part of the girl. I'm also quite sure that if she had (in a calm and non-aggressive manner) alerted one of the officers to her predicament, they would have assisted her departure from the area.
- Geraldine, London, 06/08/2009 13:12
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No Dhan Raj. If you go to a peaceful demo and are peaceful yourself, you should not expect to be abused by police.
- Barnie, essex, 06/08/2009 13:07
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The CPS must bring prosecutions against many of these officers and let a jury decide if they are guilty or not. The public have no confidence in the Met. In fact, many people who once supported the Met, now hate them. Too many Met officers come across as arrogant thugs. Something needs to be done about this and quick!
- Anthony, London, 06/08/2009 13:04
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The Territorial Support Group TSG, and all the other 'officers' who are given face masks, protective clothing and allowed to wrek havoc, are just a bunch of thugs with a licence to bully and assault.
Listening to the remarks of their pompous & complacent senior officers you just know there is going to be a cover-up.
There should be prosecutions of the individuals involved so an independent court can decide on whether their actions were appropriate or whether they were just enjoying hitting people.
- Mark Myword, London, 06/08/2009 13:01
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The polices behaviour was a scandal. I sincerely feel ill watching the beatings handed out and listening to cover-up by the Police. I watched the Police treat humans like animals; no sorry the RSPVA would not allow animals to be treat like that.
I hope Chris, Montreal stays in Canada idiot.
- Sarahj, West country, 06/08/2009 13:00
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Brilliant Chris. Absolutely brilliant. So if it was your wife, how would you feel? Not all women know when they are pregnant. If a woman is bleeding unexpectedly it is usually a sign something is seriously wrong, and should get medical attention straight away. The policeman should have used his discretion and let her get immediate treatment in case she was miscarrying. Two words: moronic comment.
- Rob, London, 06/08/2009 12:59
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Anyone who went on that demo not expecting trouble needs their heads examined.
- Dhan Raj, Basildon, 06/08/2009 12:32
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Two words:
Personal responsibility.
- Chris, Montreal Canada, 06/08/2009 12:30
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Expect a whitewash.
- Jimbob, Kensington, 06/08/2009 11:59
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"Police must make immediate changes to the way they control public protests", a watchdog said today...
Did it actually take thousands of £££'s and countless man hours to come up with this little jewel...?
Anyone who watched the evening news on the evening of the protest could come to that conclusion... How do I apply for a "Watchdog" position...?
- Andre, london, 06/08/2009 11:57
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