MPA Vice Chair Kit Malthouse responds to Commissioner's request for HMIC G20 Public Order policing review

27/09
15 April 2009

‘I welcome the Commissioner’s swift and decisive action in asking the HMIC to review the Public Order policing tactics used during G20, which  will also report to the MPA.

"It is vital that the police retain the trust of Londoners and a thorough review by the HMIC will be crucial to help inform conclusions about how public order events should be policed in the future.

"The most recent footage of G20 is alarming and I also fully support the Commissioner referring the matter to the IPCC and suspending the officer concerned pending the outcome of the independent investigation.

‘The MPA has already convened an urgent meeting of its members to review tactics employed during G20 protests and will be questioning the Commissioner about this matter in public at its meeting on 30 April.

‘While we take this matter extremely seriously, it is worth pointing out that the Metropolitan Police are responsible for maintaining public order during dozens of protests throughout the year. The vast majority pass off peacefully, and the recent demonstration by the Tamil Community in Parliament Square is an example of this. Nevertheless we cannot afford to skate over even isolated incidents and must get to the truth and learn the lessons of both this incident, that involving Ian Tomlinson, and the G20 generally.’

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