Watch video of the Ian Tomlinson assault

The Metropolitan Police commissioner today pledged to co-operate in full with a criminal investigation into the death of newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests in London last week.

Video footage has emerged showing Mr Tomlinson being struck from behind by a police riot officer wielding a baton and violently shoved to the ground, apparently striking his head on the pavement. He died of a heart attack minutes later.

Several of the officers standing near Mr Tomlinson when he was pushed have come forward to speak to investigators from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), while others have been traced. However the man who shoved Mr Tomlinson has still not been identified.

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The police have an obvious response: it was an isolated incident. He was disobeying orders

Tom Whipple

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One newspaper report suggested the officer involved belonged to the Met's Territorial Support Group. The dog handlers standing nearby are believed to be from the City of London Police.

Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson said today: "My thoughts are with Mr Tomlinson's family at this time. The images that have now been released raise obvious concerns and it is absolutely right and proper that there is a full investigation into this matter, which the Met will fully support. "

Mr Tomlinson's death was being investigated by City of London Police under the auspices of the IPCC, but since the video footage of the incident emerged last night, politicians have called for the probe to be ramped up to a full criminal inquiry.

"There must be a full-scale criminal investigation. The officer concerned and the other officers shown in the video must immediately come forward," said David Howarth, the Liberal Democrat shadow justice secretary.

David Winnick, a Labour backbencher and a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said that the incident had ominous parallels with the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, who died at Stockwell Underground Station in 2005.

"There should be a statement by the Home Secretary on all the circumstances of the case." said Mr Winnick.

"One thing is quite clear – the inquiry taking place by City of London Police is hardly satisfactory, even if that inquiry is being managed or monitored by the IPCC.

"The possibility arises, of course, of a criminal prosecution in due course. It does seem that the original police statement was, to say the least, misleading in view of what has emerged, not least the photographs. They show Mr Tomlinson was, in fact, hit by a police officer. There will be anxiety about the thoroughness of the inquiry."

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