In 2010-11 the scandal of undercover police in protest groups made national headlines when it was revealed that spycops such as Mark Kennedy, Bob Lambert and John Dines infiltrated groups campaigning for social justice and to protect the environment and animals. With it came allegations of miscarriages of justice and sexual abuse of female activists, leading to an apology and payoff from the Met in 2015.
Public outrage at the scandals around undercover policing led to the Undercover Policing Public Inquiry. After three years, just ahead of when it was scheduled to publish its final report, it has yet to begin. Beset by police delaying tactics, people who have had their lives turned upside down by the intrusion of state sponsored spies are still waiting for answers. We are no nearer to knowing the extent of the ongoing abuse of democracy.
On Monday 5 February the Undercover Policing Public Inquiry is holding another preliminary hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. Starting at 10am, it will conclude by 4pm. It will cover the the recent anonymity applications by five former spycops. There will be a demonstration at the main entrance on the Strand from 9-10am. Come along and stand with the core participants to support their demands that the Inquiry releases the cover names of the spies, the details of which groups were spied on and opens up the files on people that were targeted.
Spread the word with the Facebook event.
This hearing will be taking place on the fifth annual Domestic Extremist Awareness Day, organised by the Network for Police Monitoring (Netpol) and the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPS). They are calling for a complete end to the meaningless but sinister use of the “domestic extremist” label against all legitimate political dissent – a critical justification for state surveillance on protest movements in the UK.
Campaigners are asked assemble outside the Metropolitan Police’s new headquarters on Victoria Embankment, the Curtis Green Building, at 8am to protest before moving to the nearby Royal Courts of Justice for a demonstration from 9-10am at the latest spycops inquiry hearing.
Spread the word with the Facebook event.
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