Ian Tomlinson Campaign: Time For Something Different

The website of the Ian Tomlinson Campaign can be found here. 

His horrific death and the spineless, fear based response from the Crown Prosecution Service and 'Independent' Police Complaints Commission tell us much about the type of society we have moved towards in recent years. Put simply, the police are now too powerful in Britain for there to be any possibility of officers even being charged with serious criminal offences committed on duty. Shoot dead someone carrying a chair leg home from the pub, shoot dead an electrician going to work,  kill someone trying to get home from the City to watch the England match on telly - and the only inconvenience you will ever face is an enforced absence from work - suspended on full pay. The only reason that anything even close to an investigation emerged was because activists and demonstrators exposed so much about events that day. 

Ian Tomlinson was a Millwall fan - and was wearing a t shirt of the club's greatest ever play - Neil Harris when was killed. He died trying to leave his place of work to watch the England versus Ukraine match on TV. I have little interest in the usual miscarriage of justice campaign, based on angry letters to the Guardian and small, ever decreasing numbers of the usual suspects protesting about the police's actions. Such a campaign will lose. 

I would like to see a campaign for justice for Ian Tomlinson run by his family and supported staunchly by Millwall supporters, and by England supporters. Lets make it clear to police officers who attend the New Den or Wembley that Ian has not been forgotten, and that they are not welcome in the area because of their past actions. Only when an officer is in court charged with killing Ian should that campaign end. 

Is that possible? 

Comments

[james walsh]

I don't know if it's possible, I fear it's improbable. But I'm utterly demoralised by campaigns than don't work and have nil impact except so the powers than be can go 'well you had a campaign, look at the free and just society you live in'.

[Rick]

There's always another way of looking at it. The reason the family can't take out a private law suit is because they are poor.

But if money was collected at every football ground in the country not just at Millwall...wouldn't that make a difference?

[MUTIOD BOB]

IT BECAUSE WE ARE LIVING IN A FEAR BASED WORLD WHERE PEOLE ARE TO FRIGHTEN TO SPEAK OUT IN CASE THEY PUT DOWN FOR IT BUT THAT THE WAY THE GOVERMENT WANTS BIG BROTHER IS HEER

[james walsh]

@Rick

I know the family have launched a fighting fund but how much will a realistic amount be to launch a legal challenge with a chance of success?

This is what the Internet can be used for, set the necessary amount- then get pledges and when the amount is reached, people can pay up. Wargame manufacturers use such a process to launch new product, I don't see why political campaigns shouldn't do the same. We need to get into this century.

[Rasta]

"only when an officer is in court charged with killing Ian should the campaign end"
That could still allow them to wriggle out - you can be charged but not convicted, can't you. I would say it should end when he is actually in prison for the rest of his short life, which would hopefully be ended by a fellow prisoner. Also "killing" is ambiguous - IMO it should be a murder charge, not manslaughter. Cos if I was to sneak up behind a cop, wearing a mask, and beat him with a blunt object and throw him to the ground (after setting my vicious dog on him), and he died, that's 110% certainly what I would be charged with - if I even made it to trial.
Also, as guilty as that fucking pig is... he wasn't in it alone... he was most definitely following orders that originated much, much higher up in the chain of command. Obviously vicious dogs must be dealt with when they maul people, but it's their owners who trained them who are ultimately responsible.
Finally, I don't think the CPS and IPCC were doing anything out of "fear". They are absolutely part and parcel of the same system as the police and were just acting as such. I never expected any different verdict.

[dave bannon]

Should never have happened RIP Ian