The policeman who pushed Ian Tomlinson to the ground moments before he died blamed him for provoking the clash, the inquest heard today.
Pc Simon Harwood said that 47-year-old newspaper seller had “almost invited a physical confrontation” during the G20 protest in London .
He went on to claim that his police training entitled him to use his baton against someone who was posing no threat. He also refused to accept that video evidence proved he had pushed Mr Tomlinson in the back.
As the video show Simon Harwood was of course lying, but he says he’s sorry so that’s alright — no trial is needed. What do we call Ian Tomlinson’s death if it had been a civilian who struck him from behind with a baton, then pushed him to the ground? Murder? Manslaughter?