90 claims of excessive force by officers puts Met force under pressure
By Ewan Fergus

SERIOUS allegations have emerged of police brutality directed towards journalists reporting on the G20 protests in London this month.

As a third investigation was launched yesterday by the Independent Police Complaints Commission into the policing of the protests, which saw one man die, the Sunday Herald has heard shocking claims of baton charges directed at the press covering the demonstrations.

Jason Parkinson, a video journalist who has covered many protests across the UK and abroad since 2000 and has contributed to the Sunday Herald, says he was repeatedly assaulted while covering the demonstrations for the Associated Press. He is to make a complaint against the Metropolitan Police via the National Union of Journalists.

Some 185 people have made complaints against the police following clashes between officers and protesters at the summit.

At least 90 are claims of excessive force by alleged victims or witnesses to brutality, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said.

A post mortem has revealed Ian Tomlinson, 47, died from internal bleeding after being assaulted by police during the demonstrations. Mr Tomlinson, a newspaper seller, was not a protester. A police officer has been interviewed under caution on suspicion of manslaughter.

Another alleged victim of police brutality, Nicola Fisher, who was on her way to attend a vigil for Mr Tomlinson, was also assaulted by police. Video footage exists of both events.

A third member of the public, a 23-year-old man, has also made a complaint about excessive force. He alleged he was assaulted at a police cordon on Cornhill some time between 6pm and 7pm on April 1. Scotland Yard is trying to identify the officer involved. All three cases have been referred to the IPCC.

Journalist Jason Parkinson, 39, says he was also subjected to police brutality' while covering the demonstrations.

"I was following the march to the Bank of England," he said. "It was probably the most brutal violence I have seen since May Day 2000 (when about 150,000 people marched in London during anti-capitalist demonstrations).

"This was indiscriminate attacks on people doing nothing wrong.

"When I got to Threadneedle Street I was hit repeatedly. There was a lot of pushing going on and I was having terrible trouble trying to film. I ended up right at the front of a group of protesters. There was a baton charge by police. When that charge came in it was completely indiscriminate.

"Two officers came towards me and went for the camera with batons.

I pulled my camera out of reach of their batons and started yelling press' at them. When they missed the camera that's when about six or seven blows came down on my head from telescopic batons.

"If there had been anywhere to fall back to I probably would have fallen down, but there wasn't. I went on filming because I had to do my job.

"In the thick of it, when you get an injury, you do not really feel it until the next day. The next day I had a dull headache - that was concussion and it lasted about three days."

Parkinson claims his experience was not unique. He said: "I saw them punching and kicking journalists. From the very beginning they did nothing but assault the press. Because of the way it has been for the last few years with the Metropolitan Police, everybody who covers these things has a press card clearly visible.

"A figure carrying ten grand of equipment is not a violent thug. It is obvious they are press.

"The press covering these protests have been increasingly injured in the last two years.

"I was wearing shin pads because you have to be prepared, I wear a very sturdy helmet. If you are on the front line the first thing they do is start kicking out at you. The baton charge on the press shows how indiscriminate it is.

"The police do not care who you are, you are fair game. It has been worse in the last 18 months to two years.

"I would say attacks on peaceful protesters is simply to discourage people from protesting, and it is the same as attacks on the press.

"I am not sure if it has come from the mentality of certain officers who detest protesters and the press who are covering it, but they do obviously hate us. It is a matter of catching it on film to expose individual officers and their attitude."

The Metropolitan Police declined to comment on Mr Parkinson's allegations.