Remembering Ian

What follows is an email that I received from the Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign. I have signed and intend to attend the memorial on the 1st.



Dear Friend,

We are writing to ask for your support. Ian Tomlinson died following an assault by police at the G20 protests on April 1st 2009. A year later his family are still awaiting a response from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) as to whether anyone will be charged for the assault and death of Ian Tomlinson.

The Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign has drafted a letter to the Director of Public Prosecutions [head of the Crown Prosecution Service] to express concerns about their delay in reaching a decision. We are asking individuals and organisations to show their support by signing this.

It would be greatly appreciated if you could read the letter (which is both attached and also pasted below this email) and let us know if you would be willing to add your signature to it by replying to iantomlinsonfamilycampaign@googlemail.com

Please indicate if you are signing on behalf of an organisation or in a personal capacity and reply as soon as possible, no later than 5pm on Tuesday the 30th of March. The letter will delivered to the CPS on the 1st of April and circulated to the media.

Additionally we would like to invite you to join the Tomlinson family in remembering Ian on the anniversary of his death on Thursday 1st April 2010,11.00am (assemble 10.45 am), Cornhill by Threadneedle Street, London, EC3V. The family will be holding a minute's silence, saying a few words and laying flowers at the spot where Ian died.

If you would like to discuss any aspect of this email please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you

Estelle du Boulay [Newham Monitoring Project - 0208 470 8333]

on behalf of The Ian Tomlinson Family Campaign

www.iantomlinsonfamilycampaign.org.uk


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LETTER FROM IAN TOMLINSON FAMILY CAMPAIGN

1st April 2010

To the Director of Public Prosecutions,

It has now been one year since the tragic death of Ian Tomlinson during the G20 protests in the City of London on 1st April 2009.

Whilst we appreciate a fair and thorough investigation takes time, Ian’s grieving family has been left in limbo for a year waiting for a full explanation about the circumstances of Ian’s death. There is now very real concern as to whether the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) proposes to charge anyone in respect of the assault and death of Ian Tomlinson.

The CPS has been in possession of the provisional Independent Police Complaints Commission investigation findings since August 2009. We understand that these findings, at least in part will provide the basis for your decision on whether to prosecute anyone for Ian’s death. We also note that you, the Director of Public Prosecutions, went on public record in a Guardian interview on September 21st 2009 to say you hoped the CPS would reach a decision “within a few months”.

Delays in the investigation and charging decisions increase the suffering for families of victims leaving them unable to gain closure and move on with their lives. Families are greatly concerned not to prejudice the process and are therefore effectively silenced from expressing their views publicly about the death of their loved one. They are desperate to ensure any potential future legal proceedings are not undermined nor an excuse found to abandon any cases that might be brought. The Tomlinson family has endured a year of public scrutiny unable to respond to questions about Ian’s death, with little they can do but wait for the outcome of your decision. The delay however is now intolerable.

The policing of the G20 protest caused widespread public concern around use of excessive force by police officers. Proceedings against many protestors arrested on the day, as well as a number of reviews and investigations into the events of the day, have all been concluded. In the case of Ian Tomlinson, there is a heightened need for the statutory investigating body to be seen to be carrying out justice in a robust, transparent and timely manner to address public confidence. One year later the public, like the Tomlinson family, are still left with unanswered questions about how and why Ian died at the G20.

In the absence of any updates from the CPS, we have growing concerns about the investigation into Ian's death. There has been a complete lack of communication and transparency about the delay into concluding the investigation into Ian Tomlinson’s death that calls the CPS' credibility into question.

As we have already set out we do not wish to prejudice any investigation or potential proceedings but believe that either a decision or public explanation is due. We call on the CPS to fulfill its public duty regarding the investigation into the death of Ian Tomlinson and respond to this letter immediately.

Signed