Diane Condemns Policing of G20 Protest

13 May 2009

Diane Abbott spoke out against the policing of the G20 demonstrations in a debate in parliament yesterday. She said that a combination of changes in the law and increasingly punitive police tactics meant the criminalisation of lawful protest.

The London MP, who is known for her work defending civil liberties, criticised police heavy-handedness of innocent protesters during a debate on police crowd control techniques which she called for.. She also accused police of being “at best sloppy and at the very worst suspect” when concealing their ID badges.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating four cases of alleged assault against protesters, including the death of Ian Tomlinson.

Diane said:

“Before the demonstrations took place the hyping by the police of the possibility of violence made the atmosphere unnecessarily confrontational. On the day, although the majority of police at the G20 demonstrations did their best, I believe that the policing of those protests revealed the use of some very troubling tactics, notably ”kettling”. Peaceful demonstrators, including women and children, were penned up without warning for hours. They had no access to food water or toilet facilities. Far from avoiding violence these punitive tactics made people very angry. I am also concerned about the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) They only moved to announce their own investigation when photographs and video footage on the internet made it clear that something untoward had gone on.. When we have the final findings of the coroner’s court in relation to Ian Tomlinson, I do not believe that they will necessarily reflect favourably on the policing of the G20.

It is easy to demonise and stigmatise protesters and demonstrators. It is easy for middle-aged Members of Parliament to forget the days when they were demonstrators and protesters too, but, however inconvenient, troubling and challenging the right to protest may be, it is the fundamental role of this Parliament to defend the right of citizens to protest peacefully and to draw attention to policing tactics and attitudes that infringe on that fundamental civil liberty.

I will be meeting with Government ministers to discuss these issues further.”



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