  We present optical and near-IR linear polarimetry of V404 Cyg during its 2015
outburst and in quiescence. We obtained time resolved r'-band polarimetry when
the source was in outburst, near-IR polarimetry when the source was near
quiescence and multiple wave-band optical polarimetry later in quiescence. The
optical to near-IR linear polarization spectrum can be described by
interstellar dust and an intrinsic variable component. The intrinsic optical
polarization, detected during the rise of one of the brightest flares of the
outburst, is variable, peaking at 4.5 per cent and decaying to 3.5 per cent. We
present several arguments that favour a synchrotron jet origin to this variable
polarization, with the optical emission originating close to the jet base. The
polarization flare occurs during the initial rise of a major radio flare event
that peaks later, and is consistent with a classically evolving synchrotron
flare from an ejection event. We conclude that the optical polarization flare
represents a jet launching event; the birth of a major ejection. For this event
we measure a rather stable polarization position angle of -9 degrees E of N,
implying that the magnetic field near the base of the jet is approximately
perpendicular to the jet axis. This may be due to the compression of magnetic
field lines in shocks in the accelerated plasma, resulting in a partially
ordered transverse field that have now been seen during the 2015 outburst. We
also find that this ejection occurred at a similar stage in the repetitive
cycles of flares.
