Mousetrap: He looked liked an innocent bystander who just happend to be in the wrong place at the same time. He had his back to the police and there was certainly no need for him to be pushed to the ground like that.



How can you know what happened before the video shoot? It is possible that he was facing the police and being belligerent to their presence, and after this, he then turned his back and put his hands in his pockets.... like "I dare you to do anything to me now", for all we know, he knew there was a video camera taping and was hoping for some kind of confrontation.....


I mean, why would someone be there to make a recording of some bloke trying to walk home to watch a game on TV???? Its obvious that he was not alone on this street, there had to be some good reason the police were even there in the first place.... if this guy represents average joe public, then that says a sad tale for the common sense of the average person, IMO.


If you are just an average joe walking home it should be quite easy to avoid contact with riot police, unless the average joe in the UK is an idiot?

Czuch: Czuch.... everyone who had a camera was recording the police and their interaction with the crowds. Whether it was a proper cam, or a mobile phone.

Also there were plenty of CCTV camera's catching the action, as well as news teams. It's called modern technology Czuch and the right of people to record events.

The bloke had to go a different route to his norm because of the protests. That has been explained Czuch... Don't you remember??

(V): everyone who had a camera was recording the police and their interaction with the crowds.


Okay, so it wasnt just this one guy trying to walk down the street all by himself, just trying to go home?

And you said he had already altered his normal route, and he still could not avoid an area with riot police?

Its just strange to me that this is the only guy in the video
especially since there are supposedly large crowds of people all around, and people making videos of all the action etc.....but all the other people managed to not be in any harm or somehow in the way of the police... how was this poor slob so unlucky to be the only person who just could not get out of the way?

Czuch: Czuch, perhaps you ought to keep up with the events. He altered his route as his normal route was blocked by police and protesters. The guy is supposed to walk a great extra distance to avoid it all with his known health problems!!

And the footage was taken (or so reported) "....shot by a fund manager from New York who was in London on business.
He told the Guardian: "The primary reason for me coming forward is that it was clear the family were not getting any answers."

"The newspaper said the video would be handed to the police complaints watchdog as part of a "dossier of evidence" which also includes a collection of witness statements and photographs in the aftermath of the alleged attack."

Photographer Anna Branthwaite, who saw Tomlinson walking towards Cornhill Street, said: "A riot police officer had already grabbed him and was pushing him. It wasn't just pushing him - he'd rushed him. He went to the floor and he did actually roll. That was quite noticeable.

"It was the force of the impact. He bounced on the floor. It was a very forceful knocking down from behind. The officer hit him twice with a baton when he was lying on the floor.

"So it wasn't just that the officer had pushed him - it became an assault."


Sir Paul Stephenson this week ordered a top-level review of riot policing and admitted his concerns over the "clearly disturbing" images to have emerged.

... All from British newspapers.

(V): can I ask how did you know he was going home to watch the football? I havn't seen that written anywhere or is it just supposition?

He was living in a homeless shelter and was a chronic alcoholic so that would account for the staggering walk wouldn't it...I mean it was after work and he probably had a couple...again supposition.