NEWS > 17 April 2009

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guardian.co.uk - UK
17 April 2009

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Metropolitan Police Service, U

UK: Injured G20 protester comp

A woman filmed being struck by a baton-wielding policeman during the G20 protests in London has claimed she suffered injuries that made her "look like I had been whipped by the Taliban".

Nicola Fisher alleged she was assaulted "by a coward and a bully boy" while she was watching a memorial vigil for the newspaper vendor Ian Tomlinson, who died the previous day.

She said she was lodging a formal complaint with the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which has already decided to investigate assault allegations against officers � specifically, one filmed striking Tomlinson shortly before he was found collapsed on the ground nearby, and the one involved in the Fisher incident. The officers have been suspended.

Fisher, 35, from Brighton, told the Daily Express that after being struck: "I was weeping and in the most dreadful pain. I looked like I had been whipped by the Taliban. I had a bruise measuring seven inches by four across the back of my thigh.

"I had another purple four-inch bruise across the back of my calf ... This policeman is a thug with a weapon which he is legally allowed to use. He can do what he wants. It is as if he got his kicks out of hurting a woman."

Fisher, who says she is 5ft and weighs six-and-a-half stone (about 42kg), said: "I am glad he has been identified. I don't want him to lose his job, He might have a family. But he needs to be punished."

Footage of the attacks on Tomlinson and Fisher has been seen around the world on the internet and television. The Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson, has already ordered a review of public order policing to be conducted by the chief inspector of constabulary, Denis O'Connor, as a result of what happened on 1 and 2 April.

He separately called for video evidence of police actions during the demonstrations to establish whether any conduct by officers might warrant further investigation. Stephenson has banned uniformed officers from covering up their shoulder identifiation numbers, as both officers involved in the alleged assaults did.

Fisher said she and her boyfriend, Gavin Shepherd, thought they would be safe watching the memorial vigil from a street overlooking the scene. But police formed in a line and started pushing people up the street.

"One very large policeman who was a giant of a man just came at me." she told the Express. "I put my hands up to stop him pushing against me and the next minute I thought he had punched me in the face.

"But in fact he had backhanded me across my left cheek ... I admit I was angry but I certainly wasn't hurling abuse at the police. I was in shock at being attacked. The policeman was very aggressive. His eyes were bulging and he was clearly looking for a fight.

"The next moment he lashed out at me with his baton, hitting me across the back of my left thigh. The pain was excruciating and lifted me off my feet. At the same time, he again brought his truncheon crashing down on my calf."

Fisher said her glasses were knocked from her face and she dropped her camera. She said: "I could not believe he was so violent. There had been no violence, no scuffles. I was not taunting him. I was only responding angrily to being struck in the face."

She added: "The officer had his badge number covered up. That says to me that he intended doing something illegal that day. I am sure no one would have believed me unless that YouTube footage emerged."

Fisher said she went to St Bartholomew's hospital where she was given painkillers before she returned to Brighton. She was now having problems sleeping and having panic attacks.

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guardian.co.uk - UK17 April 2009

UK: Injured G20 protester comp

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guardian.co.uk - UK
17 April 2009