As Spycops hearings resume victims set out their positions

The ‘Spycops’ Undercover Policing Inquiry has resumed hearing live evidence in Central London. Five former undercovers from the notorious Special Demonstration Squad active between 1992 and 2007 will be giving evidence over the next two months.

The inquiry has published a series of ‘position statements’ on behalf of numerous participants, including the Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police and victims of abusive undercover policing.

Spycops infiltrating campaigns

The Inquiry has set out some of the questions it will be asking about the justification for spying on trades unions, justice campaigns, political parties and campaign groups, including Palestinian solidarity groups, as well as the accuracy of the intelligence reporting, the officers’ abuses, including black-listing and sexual deception, as well as the impact of it all.

Following on from previous hearings about the police’s handling of the murder of Stephen Lawrence and spying on the Lawrence family, the Inquiry will explore how the tasking of undercovers focused on protecting the reputation of the police.

In 2005, police shot dead Jean Charles de Menezes in cold blood. They then deployed undercover officers to spy on the campaign for justice. The Metropolitan Police has proffered an apology to the family for the reporting on their campaign.

In the early 2000 this drive to protect reputations expanded, with a ‘policing’ focus on preventing embarrassment to the government, and protecting corporations and ‘UK Plc’.

The evidence is that spycops ran deliberate campaigns of harassment. We will hear evidence of how managers and undercover officers secretly plotted to disrupt democratic processes by targeting print shops, raiding people’s homes and deliberately harassing people, and we will hear from the victims about the psychological damage and disruption that caused.

The Inquiry will also hear from women targeted for deceitful sexual relationships where the evidence speaks of abuse and coercive control.

Spycops as provocateurs

As with previous hearings, the Inquiry will hear about undercover officers’ roles in a number of high profile events, including the massive 2003 Stop the War demonstration against the invasion of Iraq, and the undercover officer who played a central role in planning the high profile 1999 Carnival Against Capitalism, often known as J18, which ended in widespread clashes in the City of London.

The inquiry will explore the extent of DC Jim Boyling’s role in organising the J18 event, alongside the decision by the Special Demonstration Squad not to tell the City of London Police the protesters’ plans, and government claims that the police had no contact with the organisers and no way of knowing what would happen on the day. Boyling will also face questions about his central role in organising the first ever anti-genetic crop decontamination in Ireland.

DC Carlo Soracchi will face questions about his attempts while undercover to encourage an arson attack on a charity shop in Maida Vale. And also how he came to meet with police barristers preparing the Met’s defence in a civil case about the mass detaining of protestors, the 2001 Oxford Circus ‘Kettling’, contributing to the police’s victory, and undermining the judicial process in a case which set a major precedent.

The human toll

This so-called ‘spycops’ inquiry is one of the longest and most expensive ever, and it has been plagued with delays. Nevertheless, its importance is probably best underscored by the final words of the Metropolitan Police in its position statement:

The human toll of the [Special Demonstration Squad]’s dysfunction has been severe and wide-ranging: misuse of deceased people’s identities, wrongful intrusion into individuals’ private and political lives, grievous sexual exploitation, damaged relationships, broken families, and widespread anger, distress and psychological harm (including to some of the officers themselves).

The MPS recognises how important it is to understand the damage that the SDS has caused, to hear directly from the people who have been affected, and for the Inquiry to hold those responsible to account.

Hearings are taking place at the International Dispute Resolution Centre, opposite St Paul’s Cathedral.

For live coverage of hearings follow @tombfowler on social media & see the YouTube channel.

Featured image via the Canary