Ex-Undercover Reveals Police Targeted Stephen Lawrence's Family

[DaveCinzano]

Yup, however when you tie it up with that World In action programme it gives an insight into what they were really upto at that time.

One very noticeable aspect to the coverage of this issue is the real paucity of news platforms to offer a sense of historical context - or at least context of any real depth.

Similarly, the very short memories of us as consumers of the news: the spying and smearing of the Lawrence family, Duwayne Brooks etc was all - if less explicitly - covered by 'Officer A' (as then he was known) in the 2010 Tony Thompson interviews for the Observer.

So we have lots of comments along the lines of "why were they even bothering infiltrating some tuppeny-ha'penny little anarchist outfit like LGP?", when it has been made plain that such deployments were used as stepping stones - such as to have an 'in' to the circles around the ALF.

Special Branch was not infiltrating these groups for the fun of it. They were doing so to arrest any threats to the status quo, to resist social change, to by nature act in a non-progressive fashion. When that is your mission, then a few upset lefties or hippies along the way is just collateral damage.

We should challenge the SDS, NPOIU, Special Branch and the rest not on the grounds that "hey, we're harmless!" but because the status quo must be smashed, social change is not just desirable but imperative, and that barriers to our collective human progress must be removed.

 

[dennisr]

Yup, however when you tie it up with that World In action programme it gives an insight into what they were really upto at that time.

Don't worry fella - Lois is on the case:

http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/vids/2013/LoisAustinBBC240613.wmv

 

[dennisr]

Special Branch was not infiltrating these groups for the fun of it. They were doing so to arrest any threats to the status quo, to resist social change, to by nature act in a non-progressive fashion. When that is your mission, then a few upset lefties or hippies along the way is just collateral damage.

We should challenge the SDS, NPOIU, Special Branch and the rest not on the grounds that "hey, we're harmless!" but because the status quo must be smashed, social change is not just desirable but imperative, and that barriers to our collective human progress must be removed.

In a sense yes - how we pose the question is another thing of course - I think that exposing the approach of these infiltrators is part of any recognition by the wider population of why and how to challenge the state.

 

[Favelado]

Pioneers of the "Tesco carrier bag over the head of the suspect" tactic that saw their confession rate soar to heights unattainable by other squads, the dirty shitcunts.

Lovely to hear that British police resorted to B.O.P.E. tactics.

 

[Zabo]

"The Metropolitan Police secretly bugged meetings between Stephen Lawrence's friend Duwayne Brooks and his lawyer, the BBC has learned.
Mr Brooks was with the 18-year-old on the night he was killed in a racist attack in 1993 in Eltham, south London.

Mr Brooks and his lawyer were unaware that the meetings were being recorded."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23048266

 

[butchersapron]

With senior met authorization.

 

[Fedayn]

Don't worry fella - Lois is on the case:

http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/vids/2013/LoisAustinBBC240613.wmv

That the Newsnight discussion from last night?

 

[DaveCinzano]

That the Newsnight discussion from last night?

No, that's from News 24. The Newsnight segment is here:

http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/vids/2013/LoisAstinNewsnight240613.wmv

 

[ddraig]

same link

 

[DaveCinzano]

same link

No it's not

http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/vids/2013/LoisAstinNewsnight240613.wmv (130.7mb)
http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/vids/2013/LoisAustinBBC240613.wmv (85.7mb)

 

[ddraig]

apologies

 

[brogdale]

With senior met authorization.

Indeed.

A "728" form, used by the Met, bears the name of the senior officer who authorised the decision to covertly record Brooks.

Wonder how far up the chain the authorisation will creep?

 

[brogdale]

Does anyone know quite how many investigations into the conduct of the Met are 'live'.


GLPS?

To answer my own question...

Michael Mansfield did.

At present there are 16 different inquiries taking place.

16 ffs.

 

[Larry O'Hara]

Indeed.


Wonder how far up the chain the authorisation will creep?

I surmise it will creep as far as the lesser-spotted John Grieve, then DAC, who we (NFB) have crossed swords with before...

 

[DaveCinzano]

I surmise it will creep as far as the less-spotted John Grieve, then DAC, who we (NFB) have crossed swords with before...

Plus he has form for recording conversations with Lawrence family members, IIRC.

 

[suki456]

Anyone else think Kirsty Wark came off as a right twat on that Newsnight segment, she was tripping over herself to make up excused for the police behaviour, even the cop was saying it was inconceivable people at the top did not know the SDS was up to.

 

[where to]

Yet more on this wider subject now published on the guardian website. Files for 9000 apparently.

 

[brogdale]

Yet more on this wider subject now published on the guardian website. Files for 9000 apparently.

Urban must have few in there? We are the enemy within, aren't we?

A national police unit that uses undercover officers to spy on political groups is currently monitoring almost 9,000 people it has deemed "domestic extremists".
The National Domestic Extremism Unit is using surveillance techniques to monitor campaigners who are listed on the secret database, details of which have been disclosed to the Guardian after a freedom of information request.
A total of 8,931 individuals "have their own record" on a database kept by the unit, for which the Metropolitan police is the lead force. It currently uses surveillance techniques, including undercover police, paid informants, and intercepts against political campaigners from across the spectrum.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun/25/undercover-police-domestic-extremism-unit

 

[Dillinger4]

definitely coppers on here.

 

[brogdale]

definitely coppers on here.

You reckon?

 

[Dillinger4]

fuck you coppers

 

[brogdale]

fuck you coppers

 

[treelover]

am very surprised that Bernard Hogan-Howe didn’t take the time to watch the programme. If he had done, he may have seen the harm and serious damage that the authorised SDS deployments have done to several very brave women.
I cannot know exactly what Lord Condon did and didn’t know about what the SDS was doing.
However, it does surprise me greatly that he can’t seem to remember actually visiting the SDS in its safe-house, shortly after the major Welling Demonstration in October 1993. As I remember it, the demonstration was fully discussed, including the impact that the death of Stephen Lawrence was having in galvanising left-wing support against the BNP.
It doesn’t seem like the kind of meeting a commissioner would forget. He was specifically requested asked not to wear his uniform when he came to our safehouse in Balcombe Street in Marylebone. This was so he could arrive incognito.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balcombe_Street_Siege

The Balcome Street?, ironic unless they knew of its history

 

[DaveCinzano]

The Balcome Street?, ironic unless they knew of its history

That literally doesn't make sense.

 

[TopCat]

Anyone seen an ebook version of the Undercover book?

 

[DaveCinzano]

Anyone seen an ebook version of the Undercover book?

Yes, it is available to download now.

 

[brogdale]

Warning : "News UK" link ahead...

HT to Bone...'The Sun's Trevor Kavanagh:-

BRITISH police once set the standard as the world’s first and most respected defenders of law and order — brave, unarmed bobbies standing up to the forces of evil.

Today, in what amounts to a national crisis of confidence, they look less like the long arm of the law and more like an organised conspiracy against the people they are meant to protect.
The Thin Blue Line set up in 1829 by Sir Robert Peel to “police with consent” is losing the support of the great British public.
Jaw-dropping allegations of corruption, cover-up and calculated deceit have raised doubts if police can be trusted by the people they are paid and sworn to serve.

e2a :

Alarmingly, revelations that shocked the nation in recent weeks would have remained secret but for a free press.

 

[Pickman's model]

definitely coppers on here.

no shit sherlock

 

[malatesta32]

If it was an annual competition the GMP would have made the shortlist on a fair few occasions.

 

[butchersapron]

Norman Bettison 'had smear file' on anti-racist campaigner

A man decorated for his community work has been officially informed that he was the potential victim of an alleged smear campaign orchestrated by the former police chief Sir Norman Bettison, as he prepared to publicly back the Stephen Lawrence family's campaign for racial justice.