G20 death: police officer suspended

The IPCCsays the action over newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson is 'in the public interest'.

The announcement came tonight from the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which is investigating the circumstances surrounding 47-year-old Mr Tomlinson's death from an apparent heart attack during G20 protests near the Bank of England.

The incident was filmed by an amateur cameraman as thousands of protesters confronted police in the City last Wednesday.

The IPCC says: "The IPCC has called for the officer to be suspended. The Metropolitan Police has now informed us that the officer has been suspended with immediate effect.

"Although decisions about suspension are a matter for the chief officer of the police, when there is an IPCC investigation, the police are obliged to consult with us over the suspension of officers. In this case, we have expressed the view that the officer in question should be suspended from duty, in the public interest."

The Metropolitan Police, which has been accused of issing misleading statements over the incident, said that "a territorial support group police constable has been suspended, effective immediately, in relation to the IPCC investigation into the death of Ian Tomlinson. Although the Metropolitan Police consulted with the IPCC, the decision was taken independently by the Metropolitan Police having considered all the circumstances."