A Teddington resident has made an official complaint against the police after finding himself trapped in the same G20 protest that claimed the life of a 47-year-old man.

Green Party member Mark Sanders-Barwick joined thousands of demonstrators on Wednesday, April 1, hoping to get the attention of, and show their dissatisfaction to world leaders, gathered in London for the G20 summit.

But he claimed the actions of the Metropolitan Police caused a peaceful protest to end in bloodshed.

Mr Sanders-Barwick said: “The smiling faces that started marching cheerfully were carried away on a glum shuffle of frustration and despair.

“Some that were even broken and bloodied.

“Hopes dashed by violent and provocative tactics used by police in their attempts to contain demonstrators.”

That morning he joined other environmental campaigners to link up with the Green Horseman march - demonstrating against climate chaos in frog, panda and chicken costumes, which he described as “good humoured and with a carnival spirit”.

After reaching the Bank of England, in Threadneedle Street, Mr Sanders-Barwick and several of his fellow protesters attempted to join the Stop the War Coalition rally in Trafalgar Square but found all exits blocked by lines of police and vans.

He explained: “Several members of the crowd pointed out that the police tactics were inflammatory, that they wanted to leave, and the police tactics would obviously cause a panic.

“All protests and requests for release were ignored.

“Councillor Phoenix {Green Party Councillor Romayne Phoenix} asked under what pretext we were all detained only to be told, ‘We don’t need one’.”

Mr Sanders-Barwick, of Langham Road, claimed officers ignored calls to allow pregnant women, children, elderly people and those with medical conditions to leave.

“Occasionally, police in riot gear would be marched through the crowd opposite who would then stand facing the crowd for a couple of minutes and wade back in again,” he continued.

“This was obviously an attempt to provoke the crowd into reacting.”

Eventually panic set in and, with large numbers pushing forward, the crowd broke the police line and some escaped. Mr Sanders-Barwick said he saw a man in his 20s being “handled roughly by several officers” and a police medic.

He later learned of the death of Ian Tomlinson, who collapsed after getting caught up in a crowd and being pushed back by police officers.

Mr Sanders-Barwick said: “I have made a complaint to the Independent Police Complaints Commission about my detention and the behaviour of the police and will be asking my MP and other members of the Met Police Authority to pursue this matter.

“I believe that a preliminary meeting has been scheduled for April 13.”

A spokesman for the Met Police said the policing operation was “large and complex” and officers “worked tirelessly” to ensure public safety.

He blamed a minority of people who had come “to hijack the protest and engage in criminal activity” for disturbances that had to be contained.