G20 death officer to be quizzed

A police officer thought to be shown on video pushing a man at the G20 protests in London who later died is to be questioned by the police watchdog.

An independent criminal probe has begun into the death of Ian Tomlinson, 47, who had a heart attack minutes after the incident on 1 April.

More video aired on Channel 4 appears to show him being hit with a baton.

The Metropolitan Police (Met) has now acknowledged Mr Tomlinson came "into contact with police" before he died.

Initially the force said it was unaware he had sustained the alleged assault and said its officers' first contact with him was when they gave him medical aid before he died.

"It is now clear that Mr Tomlinson did come into contact with police prior to his death and that a number of the officers depicted in the footage on a national newspaper's website have identified themselves as MPS officers," it said in a statement.

Scotland Yard said the officer seen on Channel 4 footage was one of four who had come forward to give information.

The IPCC has ordered a second post-mortem test as part of its inquiry.

Mr Tomlinson's stepson Paul King said the footage has "deeply touched" the family and said "we cannot lay our father to rest" until they get justice.

The IPCC began its investigation before footage surfaced of Mr Tomlinson being shoved.

Ian Tomlinson lived and worked in the City of London

The watchdog said it would examine the footage and discuss it with the Crown Prosecution Service.

Following Mr Tomlinson's death, the IPCC initially said it would oversee an investigation into the incident to be carried out by the City of London police.

Deborah Glass, of the IPCC, explained the decision to take over the inquiry: "People are rightly concerned about this tragic death and this footage is clearly disturbing.

"In light of new information which we became aware of yesterday [Tuesday]evening, we have now taken the decision to independently investigate."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said no officers had been suspended.

He added: "A total of four officers, inclusive of this officer, have now come forward with potentially relevant information in relation to the investigation into the death of Mr Tomlinson."

The video, shot at 1929 BST at the Royal Exchange Passage, appears to show newspaper vendor Mr Tomlinson, who was going home from work and not protesting, walking away from a group of police officers.

The footage, recorded by a New York fund manager, appears to show Mr Tomlinson landing heavily after being pushed by an officer.

Minutes later, Mr Tomlinson collapsed and died of a heart attack, after walking about 50 yards to nearby Cornhill where he received first aid from police.

The Guardian newspaper obtained the video and has handed it to the IPCC.

And new footage, taken by a Channel 4 News cameraman, shows an officer apparently hitting him left-handed with a baton, then shoving him to the ground.

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson said the images raised "obvious concerns" and pledged full support from the force.

LOCATION OF IAN TOMLINSON AND G20 PROTESTS IN CITY OF LONDON 1. Protests at Bank Junction 2. Protest outside RBS branch in Threadneedle Street 3. Protests outside Bank of England 4. Climate Change tent city on Bishopsgate

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