TUESDAY: Candlelight vigil to remember Ian Tomlinson

Ian Tomlinson walking past the police before he was struck

There will be a Candlelight vigil to remember Ian Tomlinson at Royal Exchange by Threadneedle Street, London, EC3V 3LL on Tuesday 1st December 6pm - 7.15pm.

The United Campaign against Police Violence would like to encourage all our supporters to come along to this vigil for Ian Tomlinson on Tuesday. It has been called by the Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign. It is important that we keep Ian’s memory alive and continue the fight for justice, I hope as many people can come as possible.

Speakers include:

Ian’s family

Samantha Rigg David - Sean Rigg Justice & Change Campaign

Deborah Coles – INQUEST

John McDonnell MP


A still from the Guardian video shows Tomlinson in the moment before he was struck, with an officer behind him holding a baton

The Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign said: "Ian died in tragic circumstances, an 'innocent passerby' trying to get home, after a police assault at the G20 protests on April 1st 2009. Eight months on, our family are preparing for our first Christmas without him and still waiting for justice. "We have been grateful for public support this year and would like an opportunity to hold this public memorial gathering to remember Ian, with our friends and supporters around us. We ask that those who attend please wear black as a mark of respect and remember that this is peaceful event. "


Ian Tomlinson remonstrates with police after being pushed to the ground, minutes before he died.

PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE COMING so we can estimate numbers and please send messages of support - a number of these will be read out at the vigil.

"RSVP to iantomlinsonfamilycampaign@gmail.com"

Background;

Ian Tomlinson (1961/62 – 1 April 2009) was a British newspaper vendor who died in the City of London, London's financial district, during the 2009 G-20 London summit protests on his way home from work. A first post-mortem indicated that he had suffered a heart attack because of coronary artery disease, and had died of natural causes.

His death became controversial a week later when The Guardian obtained video footage, taken by an investment fund manager from New York, showing that Tomlinson, who was not a protester, had been struck on the leg from behind by a police officer wielding a baton, then pushed to the ground by the same officer. The footage showed no provocation on Tomlinson's part, who at the time was walking along with his hands in his pockets.


Ian Tomlinson being treated by Paramedics - Scotland Yard wrongly claimed on their website that police were pelted with rocks and glass as he was being treated - The later took down the claim

After The Guardian published the video, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) began a criminal inquiry from which the police were removed. A second post-mortem, ordered by the IPCC and Tomlinson's family, indicated that Tomlinson had died from an abdominal haemorrhage, the cause of which remains unknown. The officer in question has been interviewed on suspicion of manslaughter. A third post-mortem was conducted at the request of his defence team, the results of which have not been released.

The incident has sparked debate in the UK about what appears to be a deteriorating relationship between the police and the public, about the extent to which the IPCC is truly independent of the police, and about the role of citizens in monitoring police and government activity.

See also;

Jean Charles de Menezes

http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2008/09/death-in-london.html

Remember Sean Rigg

http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2009/08/remember-sean-rigg.html

Ian Tomlinson on Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Ian_Tomlinson


A police cordon during the G20 summit protests. Thousands of protesters had been "kettled" by cordons as Tomlinson was trying to make his way home.