Met posts new 'friendly' tactics on Twitter after G20 criticism

Scotland Yard has signed up to Twitter in a bid to adopt a more friendly approach to policing protests.

The move is part of an overhaul of tactics in response to wide-ranging criticism of their handling of the G20 demonstrations in the City.

However, the Met says it will keep "kettling" as an option for dealing with violent protests but insists it is planning changes to the strategy which involves containing protesters in a small area for hours at a time.

These include improving communications between officers and demonstrators - including the use of a Twitter account to let people know what the police are planning. A powerful loudhailer system on a helicopter - known as Skyshout - will also be used to keep protesters informed.

Officers will be briefed to adopt a more friendly and talkative approach to people held behind police lines. And intelligence teams will be trained to spot "innocent" people caught in the kettling to allow them to be released.

Details of the changes emerged as hundreds of protesters are expected to converge in London next week for an environmental protest.

The Camp for Climate Action is planning a week-long event at a secret location with a meeting point in the City. For the first time senior officers have met organisers to discuss the protest.

The event will be the first major test of police public order tactics since G20 when newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson died after being violently pushed to the ground by a police officer.

Two police officers are suspended and facing possible trial over allegations of assault on protesters at the summit of world leaders in April.

The police tactics led to a wave of criticism and calls from groups including the Metropolitan Police Authority and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary for changes to the "kettling" policy.

The Twitter account would allow police to send out messages ranging from warnings about operational tactics to health advice. Only people who choose to follow the Met address - C011metpolice - will receive the messages.

A Met spokeswoman said: "We will not be following people on Twitter, it will be one-sided with us giving out information. We want to use it as an aid to explain to people what is happening. We have to try new things."

So far the Met has not issued any messages and has seven followers including SecretSweety and an online dating agency.

Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison, who is in charge of public order policing, said: "We hope the use of Twitter will help us get our message out quickly. Rumours can circulate quickly in these events and we want to be in a position to put things right. We have listened to criticism and recommendations but we have a challenging role of balancing the competing human rights of different groups."