Riot Cops Killed
NewspaperSeller At G20
Multiple eyewitnesses say man was attacked after media initially reported death was accidental
Paul Joseph Watson\Prison Planet.com Monday, April 6, 2009
The death of a newspaper seller during the G20 protests last week which was initially reported by the media to have been caused by a heart attack was actually a result of an attack by riot cops, according to eyewitnesses.
Ian Tomlinson, 47, was not even taking part in the G20 protests, he was walking home from his job as a newsagent near the Bank of England when he collapsed and suffered a heart attack.
News reports immediately after the incident stated that Tomlinson looked dazed and confused before collapsing and being treated by medics.
The explanation that the man’s death was accidental was strongly pushed by the media in the hours after the incident, and a police post mortem examination attributed his death to natural causes.
However, eyewitnesses have come forward to state that Tomlinson was attacked by riot police before his collapse.
Anna Branthwaite, an experienced press photographer, told the IPCC: “I can remember seeing Ian Tomlinson. He was rushed from behind by a riot officer with a helmet and shield two or three minutes before he collapsed.” Amiri Howe stated that Tomlinson was struck ‘near the head’ with a police baton. Another protester said she saw Mr Tomlinson being pushed aggressively from behind by officers.
Police have promised to make further inquiries as a result of the new testimony, but since British cops can get away with shooting innocent people in the head multiple times and not face charges, we are skeptical that anyone will be brought to justice for the murder of Tomlinson.
Tomlinson’s murder echoes the death of Carlo Giuliani, who was murdered by riot police at the G8 summit in 2001 in Italy. Giuliani was shot twice and ran over twice by police. The officer who shot Giuliani was later charged with murder but escaped punishment after a judge ruled that the shots fired by officer Mario Placanica “ricocheted off plaster”.
However, forensic doctor professor Marco Salvi claimed the shots were a direct hit and that police ran over Giuliani’s body when he was still alive. Mario Placanica later claimed that he was a patsy for a wider cover-up, and soon after was involved in a “suspicious” car accident, days after allegedly observing someone tampering with his car.
http://www.prisonplanet.com/riot-cops-killed-newspMan shot dead at south
Vancouver gas station
Last Updated: Tuesday, April 7, 2009 | 10:53 AM PT
Comments154Recommend73 CBC News
Police photograph the body of man shot dead at a Husky gas station in South Vancouver Monday night. (CBC)One man is dead following a shooting at a south Vancouver gas station Monday night.
Residents reported they heard as many as eight gunshots at the Husky station near West 70th Avenue and Southwest Marine Drive at 9:40 p.m. PT, according to Const. Jana McGuinness.
"Our members arrived to find a man lying on the ground. He'd been shot. BC Ambulance were called, but were unable to save him and he died at the scene," said McGuinness.
There was a convertible BMW left running at the scene, police said, but they would not speculate on whether the shooting appeared to be targeted or gang-related.
One witness told CBC News he heard two sets of gunfire, minutes apart.
"We were just watching TV and relaxing, when we heard, 'Pow, pow, pow, pow, pow.' And after that, we kind of stopped for a second, looked out the window, and we didn't see anything," said Chris Ramm.
"Couple of minutes later, we hear 'Pow, pow, pow, pow, pow,' again, like within a couple of minutes. Next thing we know, we go outside, and the guy is lying on the ground, caution tape is everywhere," he said.
Twenty people have died in more than 40 shootings across Metro Vancouver this year.
Obama leaves Iraq after
4-hour surprise visit
Last Updated: Tuesday, April 7, 2009 | 2:20 PM ET Comments102Recommend76
CBC News
U.S. President Barack Obama greets military personnel at Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq, on Tuesday. (Charles Dharapak/Associated Press)U.S. President Barack Obama has left Iraq following a four-hour surprise visit Tuesday.
He praised cheering soldiers in Baghdad and said he would not deviate from his plan to withdraw all combat troops by 2011.
"You have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country," the president told 600 soldiers at Camp Victory in Baghdad.
"That is an extraordinary achievement."
A total of 4,266 U.S. troops have lost their lives in Iraq since March 2003, and Obama said U.S. forces had "performed brilliantly … under enormous strain."
"It is time for us to transition to the Iraqis," he said. "They need to take responsibility for their country."
Obama landed in Baghdad in the evening after a two-day visit to Turkey that capped a long overseas trip, which included G20 and NATO summits in Europe.
He met the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, Gen. Ray Odierno, shortly afterward.
Obama spoke favourably of political progress being made in Iraq but also expressed concern to reporters that recent gains could deteriorate with the upcoming national elections, due to take place in December.
"It's important for us to use all of our influence to encourage the parties to resolve these issues in ways that are equitable. I think that my presence here can help do that," he said.
Reassurances offered
Obama then met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki at Odierno's residence in Camp Victory.
Obama told reporters he assured al-Maliki the U.S. has no claim on Iraqi territory or resources.
"I communicated to the prime minister that we are strongly committed to an Iraq that is sovereign, stable and self-reliant," he said.
Obama has pledged to withdraw 100,000 combat troops by Aug. 31, 2010, while 35,000 to 50,000 support troops will stay in the country until Dec. 31, 2011.
"The drawdown that will take place will ultimately result in the removal of all U.S. troops by 2011," Obama said.
There are currently about 143,000 U.S. troops serving in Iraq.
Tuesday's trip was Obama's third to Iraq, and his first since taking office. He met with U.S. commanders and troops last summer while seeking the presidency.
Much of the travelling media who accompanied Obama to Europe were kept in the dark due to security concerns.
Shoe-thrower's sentence reduced
Obama's visit Tuesday came, coincidentally, on the same day that an Iraqi Supreme Court judge reduced the prison sentence of an Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at former president George W. Bush in an act of defiance during a Baghdad news conference last December.
Bush's farewell visit to Iraq was defined in large part by the actions of Muntadhar al-Zeidi, who was sentenced in March for three years in prison after pleading not guilty to attacking a foreign leader.
He described his action as a "natural response to the occupation."
His defence appealed the original ruling to the Federal Appeals Court, which reduced al-Zeidi's sentence to one year on Tuesday.
A spokesman for the court said the decision was made because al-Zeidi had no previous criminal history.
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/04/07/obama-iraq-visit.html?ref=rss
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