G20 police actions 'unacceptable', says UK watchdog

Some police actions during the G20 protests risked undermining the sacrifice of officers who have given their lives protecting the public, the police watchdog warned today.

Chief inspector of constabulary Denis O’Connor, who is conducting a review of public order policing tactics, said some of the footage from the demonstration showed “unacceptable” behaviour.

Giving evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee, Mr O’Connor referred to the heroism of PC Gary Toms, who died last week after trying to stop a fleeing vehicle in south London.

He said: “My concern was obviously about the individual incidents where officers, on the face of it, appeared to break with their colleagues and assault people.

“We in this country expect the very best from our police, quite properly, and police officers who give their lives – as Gary Toms did, sadly, very recently - they do it for a very noble cause.

“So when you see something that does not square with that noble cause, it is disappointing and hugely concerning.”

He added: “What I saw was unacceptable.”