Nick Hardwick, chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), will appear before the Home Affairs Select Committee as the fallout surrounding allegations into the use of force at the protests grows increasingly acrimonious.
Mr Hardwick said he had “serious concerns” about front-line supervision of officers at this month’s demonstrations in the City of London and said police needed to remember that they were “servants, not masters” of the people.
Mr Hardwick’s comments came as former Metropolitan Police Commander John O’Connor, warned that current Met chief, Sir Paul Stephenson, risks losing the support of rank and file officers if the investigation into allegations of abuse became a “witch hunt.”
So far almost 90 complaints have been made about the use of force at the G20 protests.
The IPCC launched its third investigation into police tactics on Saturday after a 23-year-old London man claimed he was assaulted by a Met Police officer.
The commission is already investigating events leading up to the death of newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson on April 1, and an allegation of an assault on Nicola Fisher at a vigil for Mr Tomlinson on April 2.
Keith Vaz, the Labour chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said MPs would examine the controversial “kettling” tactic used to contain demonstrators.
An IPCC spokesman said more than 185 complaints had been received relating to G20 of which almost 90 were from alleged victims of – or witnesses to – excessive police force.
Other footage of a riot officer apparently hitting a protester with a riot shield has also been published and is being examined by Scotland Yard.
The Met Police said it was also looking at video footage posted on Saturday on YouTube by the Climate Camp group which shows another man apparently being punched in the face by a police officer.
ITN
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