Protesters plan to march over news vendor's death

ACTIVISTS are planning a series of demonstrations after the death of newspaper vendor Ian Tomlinson at the G20 protests.

Protesters and political activists are planning to march through the streets of London in the coming weeks after the 47-year-old died of a heart attack minutes after being attacked by officers at the G20 protests in the City two weeks ago.

Members of the Stop the War Coalition and the Socialist Workers Party met at a pub near Euston station to organise a demonstration involving up to 15,000 people under the banner of "Justice for Ian Tomlinson". Stop the War is already planning a protest today outside Scotland Yard's headquarters in Westminster.

One organiser said: "We have a right to protest without any fear of police brutality. What the police did to Ian Tomlinson was a crime and must be punished."

University of East London anthropologist Chris Knight, who was suspended by the university for "inciting violence" before the G20 protests, called for action and urged demonstrators to "take over the streets of London and picket police stations".

Representatives of Mr Tomlinson's family said the family would make a statement in the coming days about the "justice for Ian Tomlinson" campaign.