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| G20 inquest: Pc pushed Ian Tomlinson 'to move him away' | G20 inquest: Pc pushed Ian Tomlinson 'to move him away' |
| (1 day later) | |
| The Pc who pushed Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests in London did so after a strike on the thigh had failed to move the newspaper seller away from the police line, an inquest has heard. | The Pc who pushed Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests in London did so after a strike on the thigh had failed to move the newspaper seller away from the police line, an inquest has heard. |
| Simon Harwood told the hearing he had been "amazed" that Mr Tomlinson fell forward after the "poor push" in 2009. | Simon Harwood told the hearing he had been "amazed" that Mr Tomlinson fell forward after the "poor push" in 2009. |
| Mr Tomlinson, 47, got back to his feet but collapsed and died minutes later. | Mr Tomlinson, 47, got back to his feet but collapsed and died minutes later. |
| Pc Harwood later said he was very sorry "if it is the case that in any way I have caused Mr Tomlinson's death". | Pc Harwood later said he was very sorry "if it is the case that in any way I have caused Mr Tomlinson's death". |
| 'Ignoring requests' | 'Ignoring requests' |
| Pc Harwood, part of the Metropolitan Police's specialist Territorial Support Group (TSG), was caught on film pushing Mr Tomlinson to the ground in Cornhill, central London, on 1 April 2009. | Pc Harwood, part of the Metropolitan Police's specialist Territorial Support Group (TSG), was caught on film pushing Mr Tomlinson to the ground in Cornhill, central London, on 1 April 2009. |
| During his evidence, he explained events leading up to the push on Mr Tomlinson and said he had palmed off protesters and pushed a cameraman as confrontations "got out of hand". | During his evidence, he explained events leading up to the push on Mr Tomlinson and said he had palmed off protesters and pushed a cameraman as confrontations "got out of hand". |
| He said he had first seen Mr Tomlinson talking to two police-dog handlers and an officer near a bike shed on the Royal Exchange. | He said he had first seen Mr Tomlinson talking to two police-dog handlers and an officer near a bike shed on the Royal Exchange. |
| He said he saw a police dog bite Mr Tomlinson on the ankle and another officer push him away from the police line. | He said he saw a police dog bite Mr Tomlinson on the ankle and another officer push him away from the police line. |
| "I then remember Mr Tomlinson moving in front of me from my right to my left as though he was walking or encroaching into the police line," he said. | "I then remember Mr Tomlinson moving in front of me from my right to my left as though he was walking or encroaching into the police line," he said. |
| Pc Harwood said he struck Mr Tomlinson because, although he was not a threat, he was ignoring other officers' requests for him to move. | Pc Harwood said he struck Mr Tomlinson because, although he was not a threat, he was ignoring other officers' requests for him to move. |
| Describing the moments he hit the father of nine, the officer said: "I struck the upper part of his leg with my baton. I didn't get a reaction so I pushed him with the right palm of my hand to the top right of his shoulder. | |
| "Once I pushed him, he fell forward. I was amazed that he fell forward. I looked for other threats, then I moved back behind the police dogs." | "Once I pushed him, he fell forward. I was amazed that he fell forward. I looked for other threats, then I moved back behind the police dogs." |
| Pc Harwood said he had used force "initially as an encouragement to make him move away". | |
| "I hit him in the thigh because usually that's where you get less harm but the maximum reaction. It really encourages people to move away." | "I hit him in the thigh because usually that's where you get less harm but the maximum reaction. It really encourages people to move away." |
| He then said he had pushed Mr Tomlinson because he had got no reaction to hitting him in the thigh with the baton "and I needed him to move away from the police line". | He then said he had pushed Mr Tomlinson because he had got no reaction to hitting him in the thigh with the baton "and I needed him to move away from the police line". |
| Mr Tomlinson, who was not a protester and had been selling newspapers in Fish Street, was on his way home when he encountered the protests. | Mr Tomlinson, who was not a protester and had been selling newspapers in Fish Street, was on his way home when he encountered the protests. |
| The inquest, at the International Dispute Resolution Centre, is examining the actions of the police, the pathologist and independent investigators. | The inquest, at the International Dispute Resolution Centre, is examining the actions of the police, the pathologist and independent investigators. |
| 'Clenched fist' | 'Clenched fist' |
| Pc Harwood told the court of the moments leading up to Mr Tomlinson's death. | Pc Harwood told the court of the moments leading up to Mr Tomlinson's death. |
| He said he had had to "recompose myself" after several confrontations as the demonstrations got "out of hand". | He said he had had to "recompose myself" after several confrontations as the demonstrations got "out of hand". |
| He said he had been "frightened and confused" in the tense atmosphere and after being hit on the back by an object and palming off a protester who had approached him with a "clenched fist", he had felt "very" scared. | He said he had been "frightened and confused" in the tense atmosphere and after being hit on the back by an object and palming off a protester who had approached him with a "clenched fist", he had felt "very" scared. |
| As video footage was played to the jury of Pc Harwood at the Royal Exchange Buildings, the officer said: "I was frightened and confused, I wondered where I was." | As video footage was played to the jury of Pc Harwood at the Royal Exchange Buildings, the officer said: "I was frightened and confused, I wondered where I was." |
| He said he had had to find time to recompose himself after realising he had lost his colleagues. | He said he had had to find time to recompose himself after realising he had lost his colleagues. |
| On Monday, Pc Harwood told how he had been in fear for his life after attracting the attention of a "hostile crowd". | On Monday, Pc Harwood told how he had been in fear for his life after attracting the attention of a "hostile crowd". |
| He said protesters had jeered and shouted as he tried to arrest a man on suspicion of criminal damage to one of the police vans. | He said protesters had jeered and shouted as he tried to arrest a man on suspicion of criminal damage to one of the police vans. |
| There was a "large gasp" from the crowd as the suspect he had hold of collided with the door of a police van, he said. | There was a "large gasp" from the crowd as the suspect he had hold of collided with the door of a police van, he said. |
| Footage showed him leading the man further away from the vans with the crowd surging behind him. | Footage showed him leading the man further away from the vans with the crowd surging behind him. |
| "At the time because he was becoming more aggressive, more hostile, I was starting to believe that this was getting out of control. | "At the time because he was becoming more aggressive, more hostile, I was starting to believe that this was getting out of control. |
| "I was aware there was a very hostile crowd and I was actually in fear for my life then from what was coming towards me." | "I was aware there was a very hostile crowd and I was actually in fear for my life then from what was coming towards me." |
| Pc Harwood later accepted he had "got things wrong" in a statement he made on 16 April 2009 about confrontations with protesters minutes before he encountered Mr Tomlinson. | Pc Harwood later accepted he had "got things wrong" in a statement he made on 16 April 2009 about confrontations with protesters minutes before he encountered Mr Tomlinson. |
| Claims that he had fallen to the floor, lost a baton, received a blow to the head and been struck by a missile were all wrong, jurors heard. | Claims that he had fallen to the floor, lost a baton, received a blow to the head and been struck by a missile were all wrong, jurors heard. |
| Judge Peter Thornton said: "When this was written on 16 April, can you say why you got it wrong on that date?" | Judge Peter Thornton said: "When this was written on 16 April, can you say why you got it wrong on that date?" |
| Pc Harwood replied: "Because at the time that is what I believed happened, from the information I had. That is what I believed happened to me there." | Pc Harwood replied: "Because at the time that is what I believed happened, from the information I had. That is what I believed happened to me there." |
| The inquest continues on Wednesday. | The inquest continues on Wednesday. |