LONDON, April 6 (UPI) -- A British man who died last week amid protests of the Group of 20 economic summit in London was hit by police with a baton, witnesses say.

An official examination found that Ian Tomlinson, 47, who was not taking part in the protests, died of natural causes Wednesday after suddenly collapsing while demonstrators crowded near the Bank of England in the City of London financial district. But witnesses claim Tomlinson struck his head after being pushed from behind and was struck by a police baton, The Times of London reported Monday.


The newspaper said investigators from the Independent Police Complaints Commission were set to look out media photographs of Tomlinson's death and would issue a call for any more images that may exist.

"I saw a riot police officer rushing towards him from behind and grabbing hold of him from behind and charging with him," photographer Anna Branthwaite told The Times. "He (the officer) grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and used his own body to propel him forward."

Another unnamed witness told the newspaper that Tomlinson was pushed from behind and fell forward on his head.