Police Spies Out of Lives

Thanks for the link leomarinus.
You are right about the women's integrity. Their bravery is also remarkable.

It may not be long before vindictive stories are circulated in the media.

We can only hope that the women in this case get the maximum amount of support and practical back-up from anarchists.

Soon there will be news on the situation for the women involved in this legal battle:

"UPDATE: The hearing previously scheduled for 20 or 21 November has now been postponed. We will send out a new date as son as we hear."

"After a year-long battle against one secret court, the women face new obstructions and obstacles from the police, and a fresh fight against secrecy."

Police Spies Out of Lives

Update on the Police Spies Out of Lives website:

"Whistleblower (an ex-cop) and Channel 4 threatened by police"

"Senior Police are trying to force Channel 4 to hand over documents and unseen footage arising from their interviews with Peter Francis, a former undercover officer who turned whistleblower."

"Peter Francis featured in a Dispatches documentary The Police’s Dirty Secret, broadcast in June 2013. The documentary included his meeting with Helen Steel and Belinda Harvey, two of the claimants in this case, where they discussed the activities of the [police] unit and the use of undercover relationships."

"During the programme he also made shocking revelations about police spying on the family of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence."

"Francis has offered to assist the women in their claim against the police and has already provided a statement to help them in challenging the police’s so-called “Neither Confirm Nor Deny” (NCND) policy. The police threat to use the Official Secrets Act and failure to offer protection to whistleblowers raises serious concerns that the police are seeking to undermine this case and prevent the whole truth from emerging."

http://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/whistleblower-and-channel-4-threatened-by-police/

The Police Spies Out of Lives has another update:

Drax Protestors Speak Out Against Undercover Police Secrecy.

The UK’s top criminal court has today overturned the convictions of 29 climate change activists who blockaded a train delivering coal to Drax power station in 2008. The convictions were quashed after it was revealed that evidence gathered by undercover police officer Mark Kennedy had been withheld from the original trial. We applaud the success […]

This wider issue of police cover-ups is very relevant to the eight women who are fighting this case, as they face a major court hearing this spring

http://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/drax-protestors-speak-out-against-undercover-police-secrecy/

UPDATE!

From the Police Spies Out of Lives website:

Joint statement: No faith in Herne; call for full public inquiry

This last autumn the women who are bringing this case, and their solicitors, met with other individuals, organisations and lawyers affected by undercover police operations. A statement (see below) below was issued as a result.

In the statement, the signatories – including those involved in this case – emphasise that they have “no faith in Operation Herne” (the official police inquiry into the activities of the Special Demonstration Squad) “nor any of the often secret, internal police or prosecutor reviews” and call for an “independent public inquiry” which “must have full powers to compel police officers to give evidence”.
Full Statement:

We the undersigned are a mixture of individuals, organisations and lawyers affected by undercover police operations or representing people who believe that they have been the targets of undercover policing

In June this year the public reacted with shock and outrage to revelations that undercover police surveillance was used against members of Stephen Lawrence’s family, to find “dirt” that could discredit them.

This is yet another revelation about the nature and extent of secret policing in Britain, showing decades long spying on and interference with political movements and campaigns. In addition to efforts to spy upon or smear people such as the Lawrence family who have lost loved ones, particular disgust has been expressed at the gross intrusion of undercover officers forming intimate sexual relationships with some of those upon whom they were spying; at the use of the identities of dead children to obtain cover; and at police links with the blacklisting of trade union members. It has also become apparent that many criminal convictions have been rendered unsafe as a result of misconduct by the police and prosecutors.

We have no faith in Operation Herne nor any of the up to 16 often secret, internal police or prosecutor reviews. They are not sufficiently transparent, robust or independent to satisfy public concern and they do not come close to addressing all of the issues raised.

The public is entitled to know what has been going on in their name and paid for by their taxes. We therefore call for an independent public inquiry into all the revelations that undercover policing has been used against political protest and campaigns. This inquiry must have full powers to compel police officers to give evidence. Such political policing has no place in a democratic society and a mechanism must be found to ensure that such unjustified conduct does not continue into the future.

http://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/joint-statement-no-faith-in-herne-call-for-full-public-inquiry/

A new update on the Police Spies Out of Lives website.

There is now a set of dates for the next stage in this case.
The next hearing will start on ONE of the following dates: March 18, 19 or 20.

Advance Notice: Hearing scheduled for mid-March 2014.

This is the hearing which was postponed from last November, and involves a fresh fight against secrecy:

- Five of the women will face an attempt by the police to have their common law claims struck out.

- These are the common law claims of “deceit, assault, misfeasance in public office and negligence” made by the women who were deceived into long-term intimate relationships with undercover officers.

For further information please check the Police Spies Out of Lives for ways of supporting the women who are engaged in this legal battle against the Metropolitan Police and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO):

http://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/hearing-march-2014/

Regular updates also on: Police Spies Out of Lives: Facebook

The support group have produced a PDF version of a leaflet that can be downloaded and printed out:

Please print copies of this leaflet and distribute, and share it on social media and online campaign networks.

http://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/uploads/2013/09/Leaflet.pdf

Just posting an update:

Helen Steel and Harriet Wistrich to speak at public meeting 27 Feb, London

One of the women in this case, Helen Steel, and the solicitor for this case, Harriet Wistrich, will both be speaking at a public meeting is to take place in London on Thursday 27 February 2014. As we announced in January, several individuals and groups affected by undercover policing have joined forces to call for a public inquiry. This meeting is to launch COPS – Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance.

http://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.wordpress.com/

Please pass this event information on to your friends and networks – the leaflet artwork is displayed below.

Don’t forget to book: we have been advised by the organisers that the event may be oversubscribed.

http://policespiesoutoflives.potager.org/public-mtng-27feb2014/

The support group are encouraging solidarity actions in mid-March. They are thinking of a picket outside Royal Courts of Justice on Wednesday 19th March, 9am-10am but this date has not been confirmed yet.

What can I do?:

*Picket outside Royal Courts of Justice
*Gather with your friends in solidarity
*Support us on social media
*Sign up to the supporters’ email list
*Add your name to the ‘Where We Stand’ solidarity statement
*If you are a journalist or blogger, ask to be added to the press list

PICKET – LONDON
Picket outside Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand, London, WC2 (Holborn or Temple tube)
9am-10am
Wednesday 19th March - this date is provisional since the court date hasn’t been announced. It could be the day before or after. Please sign up to the email list on the website for details nearer the time or follow us on facebook and twitter.

Here is a PDF leaflet that can be circulated via any networks that come to mind:

http://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/...LonMar2014.pdf

UPDATE:

London – Picket outside court – 18th March, 9am (confirmed)

Please share amongst London friends and networks:

Picket outside Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand, London, WC2 (Holborn or Temple tube)

9am – 10am, Tuesday 18th March

http://policespiesoutoflives.potager.org/londonmarch2014/

PRESS RELEASE: Metropolitan police withdraw motion to strike out womens’ case, as legal battle continues:

http://policespiesoutoflives.potager.org/press-release-metropolitan-police-climb-down-in-undercover-case/

March 18: PRESS STATEMENT: "Women condemn ongoing police obstructions to legal case"

"Today’s hearing has closed after a long debate in court over who will have to disclose what information when. The women have just issued this statement via their solicitor, Harriet Wistrich."

http://policespiesoutoflives.potager.org/hearing-march-2014-statement/

A few photos and low resolution video clips of the solidarity picket at the court today.

http://policespiesoutoflives.potager.org/

PRESS RELEASE: Court Hearing 5-6th June, London.

"Court to hear issues against Met police over SDS deployments, as women issue legal challenge to NCND."

* Women’s legal action over undercover relationships
* Court hearing 5-6 June 2014, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London"

"On Thursday 5 June and Friday 6 June 2014, the main issues in a case against the Metropolitan Police over undercover relationships will be laid out for the first time in open court. The High Court will hear an application to require the Metropolitan police to drop their “neither confirm nor deny” (NCND) stance. NCND has been one of many delaying tactics used by the Met to maintain secrecy over the legal action against them, despite the very serious allegations that have been made by the Claimants."

"Eight women are bringing common law claims of assault, deceit, negligence and misfeasance in public office; this hearing concerns five of the women. The officers’ deployments were part of the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), which was infiltrating environmental and social justice campaign groups. Several officers entered into long-term relationships, causing lasting disruption and psychological damage."

"Despite widespread public outcry over what appears to be a systematic pattern of abuse, the Metropolitan Police have not entered a defence against the claims, instead resorting to a series of delaying tactics and bids for secrecy, including their so-called Neither Confirm Nor Deny “policy” (NCND). The Met police withdrew their application to strike out the Claimants’ claims last March after the Home Secretary announced a public inquiry."

"Harriet Wistrich, solicitor for the eight women said: “This will be the first hearing in open court when the main issues will be set out in the case against the Metropolitan police over the deployments of SDS officers. We will be providing detailed evidence of what the Claimants have discovered and what is already now known about the four undercover officers in the case which undermines the MPS’ reliance on NCND. NCND appears to be a smokescreen to cover up the extent of wrong-doing, and should not be permitted.”

http://policespiesoutoflives.potager.org/5-6june-sds-ncnd/

Sack Bob Lambert

Picket London Metropolitan University

This Friday 28th November

12.00 – 2.00pm

Outside London Metropolitan University Tower, 166-220 Holloway Road, 
London N7 8DB

Islington Against Police Spies demands that London Metropolitan University sack lecturer Bob Lambert - Police spy, agent provocateur, exploiter of women.
- See more at:

http://theoccupiedtimes.org/?p=13640

Just posting this as an update not because I agree with what he's written.

Guardian journo Nick Cohen has written an article for Comment is Free in The Observer.

"When you are in a radical movement, it’s wise to assume that the person arguing for the most extreme action is an agent provocateur."

"Why must we tolerate police spies in our midst?"

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/dec/21/why-tolerate-police-spies-in-our-midst

Apologies for the posting of links to various articles in the The Guardian, The Telegraph etc.
I suppose this thread is really just a place for updates on the issues and news surrounding the fight by eight women against the Metropolitan Police and The Association of Chief Police Officers. Anyway here's a couple more articles that may be of interest:

University under pressure to sack controversial former undercover spy Bob Lambert

Police stole identities of dead children as old as 17

Another up-date.
This picket is part of the ongoing campaign to get Bob Lambert sacked. Lambert is the ex Special Branch cop who was part of the Special Demonstration Squad and now works as a college lecturer at London Metropolitan
University.
Here's the info about the picket:

Islington Against Police Spies:

SACK BOB LAMBERT!
Former Police Spy, Serial Liar & Exploiter of Women

Join us to demand the removal of Bob Lambert from London Metropolitan
University.

Picket London Met

Friday January 30th
12.00 – 2.00pm

LMU Tower, 166-220 Holloway Road, 
London N7 8DB

Bring placards, banners, anything to make noise…

In November Islington Against Police Spies (IAPS) held a lively picket
of London Metropolitan University in Holloway, launching our campaign to
demand the sacking or resignation of Bob Lambert. Former police spy,
Special Branch manipulator, abuser of women, agent provocateur, Lambert
is now lecturing at London Met on policing and criminology.
For a brief account of Bob Lambert’s dubious record, check out the PDF
leaflet attached to this email. Which you can also spread as wide as
possible…

As local residents we feel it is totally inappropriate for London
Metropolitan to be employing a man with Lambert’s record in such a
position; where he has not only influence and power over the lives of
students, who may be young or vulnerable. Most particularly Lambert has
shown he cannot be trusted not to abuse and lie to women.

Islington Against Police Spies have committed ourselves to holding
events every month at least, to keep putting pressure on the University
and raising awareness of Lambert’s past, until he is forced to leave
London Met. We know this CAN be done – but it’s not necessarily going to
be easy. Hopefully this campaign will get stronger until it’s
irresistible. BUT WE NEED HELP – we call on anyone who thinks Bob
Lambert should not be working in a supposedly progressive university to
support our campaign.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Come down and join the picket on January 30th. The bigger and noisier
our protest, the more notice London Met will have to take of us.

Protest to the following in the London Met hierarchy, and demand that
they sack Bob Lambert:

• John Raftery
, Vice-Chancellor; email: 
[email protected]


Tel: 020 7133 2001




• Peter McCaffery
, Deputy Vice-Chancellor; 
email:

[email protected]. Tel: 020 7133 2401



• Jonathan Woodhead, 
Executive Officer; 
email:

[email protected]
. Tel: 020 7133 2042



• Paul Bowler
, Deputy Chief Executive; email: 
[email protected]


Tel: 020 7133 2031



• Peter Garrod
, University Secretary and Clerk to the Board;


email: [email protected]
. Tel: 020 7133 2004


You can also email Bob Lambert directly and let him know what you think
of his activities: [email protected]
Tel: 020 7133 4692/2911


Spread the Word – tell others about this campaign, raise the issue in
your networks, communities, union, etc – the more people know about Bob,
the more pressure we all put on the university, the more likely it is
that he will have to go.

This campaign is being organised by Islington Against Police Spies, a
group of local residents and activists…

For more info on undercover police spies see:[/i]
http://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com

@copscampaign
http://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/

Here's a link to a very short clip (couple of minutes) from a BBC London News item on 20th January:

"Ex-Met Police spy Bob Lambert 'should be sacked' as lecturer"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-30908597

‘Alison’ one of the eight women that sued the Met police writes a critique of the BBC series 'Undercover'.

https://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/bbc-undercover-series/

Also some other news from about a week ago.
(sorry for the long quotes)

Cop Investigated for firebombing.

"Former Special Demonstration Squad officer – and later unit chief – Bob Lambert is to be investigated by police over allegations he firebombed a department store."

"Stealing the identity of a dead child called Bob Robinson, Lambert went undercover to infiltrate animal rights groups in the mid-1980s. In 1986 he co-wrote the McLibel leaflet that triggered the longest trial in English history, though his involvement was kept secret from court throughout."

"The following year Lambert was part of a small, secret group of animal rights activists who planted incendiary devices in branches of fur-selling department store Debenhams. They were set to ignite during the night, triggering the sprinkler system and dousing the stock – it was designed to be economic sabotage rather than an attack on people."

http://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2016/04/20/bob-lambert-investigated-by-police-over-firebombing/

What makes my blood run cold, is the thought that there probably have been many other cases of undercover police conning women into relationships which haven't been exposed yet.

Analysis from Helen Steel on the “Neither Confirm Nor Deny” policy of the police:

"Clear, comprehensive and authoritative, her speech ended with a round of applause from the court."

http://campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2016/03/30/helen-steel-demolishes-neither-confirm-nor-deny/

The Pitchford inquiry into Undercover Policing has published some document on an aspect of the investigation.

This text below has just been put out by the Police Spies Out Of Lives organisation. There seems to be disappointment but the report still has to be analysed to work out what the implications are.

Police Spies Out Of Lives:

"Pitchford's ruling on secrecy around the Public Inquiry into Undercover Policing has been published. It is lengthy, and complex, although they have published the over view below."

"Pitchford says that the presumption is that the Inquiry should be held in public, but leaves it wide open for many requests for secrecy to be entered. He plans to respond to each request about secrecy (a request for a 'restriction order') individually and rejects the police's request for blanket use of their policy of 'neither confirm nor deny'.
However, there is dismay that the ruling does not include releasing the cover-names of officers, and that Pitchford does not accept that the inquiry has a duty to disclose to the public where someone’s privacy has been breached by undercover policing."

The legal teams, and core participants in the Inquiry will be digesting the ruling over the next couple of days, so expect more reaction coming soon."

Thanks for the suggestion about writing an article Steven. I have to admit to not being so good at writing articles, but I'm looking into getting someone else to produce one for publication on Libcom.
So I'll get back to you soon about that.

Here's a link to the Victoria Derbyshire interview that you pointed out.
This is just the 8 minute clip edited from the whole programme with Helen Steel talking about the current situation.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03syvv7

Just a note to say that we're trying to get an article together about this.

An email update from the Police Spies campaign about further developments with the Cardiff Anarchist Network. They're asking for support for a solidarity picket outside the Royal Courts of Justice at 11am Tues 7th June.

([email protected])

"Dear Supporter,

After the success of our main case, where the women won an apology from the Met Police, and the Police withdrew their defence, we are now supporting other people who have been affected by the relationships with undercover police, through legal action against the Police, and through the Public Inquiry into Undercover Policing. These include the following people from the Cardiff Anarchist Network, we are hoping you will support at their demo outside their court hearing on Tuesday 7th June."

"Solidarity Picket with people affected by relationships with undercover police
11am Tues 7th June, Royal Courts of Justice"

"Following the infiltration of Cardiff Anarchist Network by an Undercover Police Officer calling himself "Marco Jacobs" a number of activists are taking legal action against South Wales Police and the Metropolitan Police in an attempt to hold the system to account."

"Since they first filed an application in court, both sets of Police lawyers have attempted to obstruct justice, giving a “Neither Confirm Nor Deny” defence of all aspects of Officer Jacobs deployment."

"At 12noon on Tuesday 7th June there will be a Case Management Hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice.

Join us in a Solidarity picket of the court before the hearing starts.

Can't make the picket?
Share our social media messages, or make your own to show your support (see below how to find us)"

Thanks,

Police Spies Out of Lives Team

Steven.

What would you think of writing something up for our news section? We would really appreciate it

An article has been written by battlescarred now, so I'll post it in the news section soon. I'm just going to look around for a suitable image to go with the article.

I've posted the article up in 'News'. I'd appreciate tips about which Tags to use or if any typos are spotted.

There have been many updates on this case and I wish that I'd been posting info on here more regularly. Please check the https://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/ for recent info.

Also, there has been a slightly odd twist, shall we say, here's a link to a recent tweet by the Police Spies Out of Lives site:

https://twitter.com/out_of_lives/status/1235173802256060416

There is the ongoing campaign against one of the SDS cops, Andy Coles, now some Tory counciler.

Andy Coles was a member of the Metropolitan Police’s disgraced Special Demonstration Squad. In the 1990s he spent four years undercover as peace and animal rights activist ‘Andy Davey’. Like many other officers in Britain’s political secret police, Coles abused his role to deceive women into sexual relationships. The most significant of these was a woman known as ‘Jessica’.

Check the Wordpress blog dedicated to this campaing here:

https://sackandycoles.wordpress.com/

Also, here's the Twitter account:

https://twitter.com/sackandycoles

There are some interesting updates happening at the moment:

Kate Wilson has received startling admissions from the Metropolitan Police Service and the National Police Chiefs Council – at a hearing before the Investigatory Powers Tribunal at the Royal Courts of Justice being held this week.

October 13th, 2020.

https://policespiesoutoflives.org.uk/admissions-in-human-rights-case-highlights-needs-for-limits-on-intrusion-by-undercover-police/

The Undercover Policing Inquiry starts today (Monday 2nd November).

Follow Police Spies Out of Lives for updates on the situation: https://twitter.com/out_of_lives

Here's a BBC report outlining the case:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54753627

What is the Undercover Policing Inquiry?

The Undercover Policing Inquiry (UCPI) is one of the most complicated, expensive and delayed public inquiries in British legal history.

At its heart is a series of very serious allegations of systematic abuses by undercover policing units developed over 40 years.

It was officially set up in 2015 by the then Home Secretary Theresa May, after a series of allegations that she said amounted to evidence of "historical failings".

Who committed these failings?

There are two undercover units at the heart of the inquiry.

The first is the Metropolitan Police's Special Demonstration Squad (SDS). It had its genesis in the late 1960s when Scotland Yard began investigating groups protesting against the Vietnam War.

It evolved to run operations into a wide range of political groups, causes and movements, most of which were on the left of politics.

The second unit, the National Public Order Intelligence Unit, was a team carrying out identical work largely outside London. Both units have now been disbanded.

Live streaming of opening statements in the Spy Cops Inquiry.
Today!
Starts at 10 am.

Oral opening statements on this hearing day will be streamed - in real-time

Today is enormously important for us. Our personal stories, collective experience and what we need from @ucpinquiry will be read out by our legal teams.

https://www.ucpi.org.uk/hearing/opening-statements-6/

Link for today's live streaming of opening statements:

https://www.ucpi.org.uk/hearing/opening-statements-7/

The live stream of the inquiry is not allowed today.
But here's a Twitter account that will be updating info about the case today:

https://twitter.com/out_of_lives/status/1326436382575833088

Nice one. Thanks for the link. I'll listen to that later.

Fozzie

New podcast “Bed of Lies” on Spycops from the Daily Telegraph with a lot of the women interviewed.

The podcast is up to 6 episodes now.

Police Spies Out of Lives:

"Join us at 9 pm tonight (Dec 29th) for our Christmas Twitter listening party. Bring snacks, and a desire to fight state corruption."

https://twitter.com/out_of_lives/status/1343900016834977795

Anarchist Communist Group article:

The Spycops Scandal: The State and Mass Organised Misogyny:

https://www.anarchistcommunism.org/2020/12/31/the-spycops-scandal-the-state-and-mass-organised-misogyny/