A Scotland Yard police officer will be charged with manslaughter over the death of Ian Tomlinson, who was killed at the 2009 London G20 protests after being clubbed and shoved to the ground.
Tomlinson was not involved in the protests and was walking away with his hands in his pockets when he was attacked. He collapsed minutes later and died.
Had this incident not been caught on tape, it is unlikely the officer would be facing any repercussions for the abuse of power.
The moral of this story? Always film police brutality.
Regular civilians may not be trained in martial arts, have access to riot armor, or be authorized by the government to use force, but we do have cameras. And footage of injustice, corruption or police brutality can be more powerful than any weapon.
So, whenever trouble rears its ugly head, be sure to pull out your handy cell phone camera and catch it all on film.
You might not be able to stop any infractions while they happen, but your vigilance will prevent future abuses, especially as more authorities become aware of the world’s ever present lens.
