G20 Officer Suspended Over 'Attack'

A police sergeant filmed apparently hitting out at a woman during the G20 protest in London has been suspended, Scotland Yard has said.

Video footage on YouTube showed an officer appearing to hit the female in the face with his hand before hitting her across the leg with a baton after she appeared to swear at him.

The evidence has been passed to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) for investigation.

The IPCC are already examining the death of Ian Tomlinson during the 1 April protests.

"The officer has been identified and suspended pending further investigation. The officer works as a sergeant in the territorial support group," a Scotland Yard spokesman said.

The Met said the apparent actions of the officer featured in the footage raised "immediate concerns".

"Every officer is accountable under law, and fully aware of the scrutiny that their actions can be held open to. The decision to use force is made by the individual police officer, and they must account for that," the Met Police said.

David Howarth, Liberal Democrat justice spokesman, has called for a "full-scale inquiry".

"The fact that this video shows another example of an officer with his number obscured assaulting a member of the public indicates that there is a systematic problem here, not just a series of individual acts of misconduct.

"The question is on my mind whether the police are using a some kind of 'designated hitter' system," he said.

(GK/KMcA)