There is little doubt that Ian Tomlinson was pushed over by a Police Officer without due cause. Even the DPP concedes that Mr Tomlinson did not pose a threat to PC Harwood or any other police officer and he found that the officers actions were disproportionate and unjustified. Being Grumpy and bad tempered is not an excuse for a professional officer to strike out at anyone. We give the Police rights - but we also give them responsibilities.

The issue is that the Police are now so removed from the Public that they see any demonstration as being criminal and a public order issue - they were brutal with the countryside alliance for example, as they were on the G20. It effects all people. The irony is the more they do this the more they alienate people. The solution is more beat officers walking around on their own thereby being compelled to talk to the community rather than their partner mate talking "police" all day.

When the police start to behave as if they are above the law - pushing and striking people at will or moving people on who are exercising their right to protest or kettling people who want to go about their business, they become an undisciplined rabble and further lose the respect of people. I was on a jury with a shopper who was kettled by the Police in Oxford Street. The experience turned a supporter of the Police to a deeply cynical individual. Needless to say that individual was very sceptical of the Police evidence in the case they were trying.

The big loser in the DPP decision was the Police themselves. They are now more isolated.

Malcs the relevance of whether Ian Tomlinson was allegedly an alcoholic is what exactly ..the smearing of a dead man ?