Second day of opening statements for Tranche 2 Phase 2. Multiple legal representatives present opening arguments on behalf of Non-Police Non-State Core Participants (victims of undercover policing), including James Wood KC, Rajiv Menon KC, Dave Morris, Peter Weatherby KC, Sam Jacobs, Owen Greenhall, Fiona Murphy KC, and Kirsten Heaven.
00:23:27 e e
00:24:26 yep got the batting order here say right good yes for
00:25:02 good morning everybody this is the second day of uh part two of the TR two hearings conducted by the inquiry uh we are on the second day of openings and Mr
00:25:22 are on the second day of openings and Mr wood King's council is going to open now Mr wood um your original time estimate has been extended um because of the volume of things that you have to say well thank you very much sir um I obviously make this opening statement on behalf of all the core participants
00:25:36 behalf of all the core participants represented by Hodge Jones and Allen in this trch of the inquiry uh I hope that served upon the inquiry as directed and I believe now to be put online on the inquiries website is the 80 page written opening prepared
00:25:51 is the 80 page written opening prepared by our team with overview and input from all of our L clients uh they and you can
00:26:04 all of our L clients uh they and you can now view uh that document as I make this address and you have though quite understandably placed time limitations and I'm very grateful to you sir for extending the time
00:26:21 extending the time limitation uh because the uh opening statement that I'm going to make obviously covers 12 core participants six organizations and deals with a number of miscarriages of justice so sir I turn to the
00:26:35 of justice so sir I turn to the introduction during this trch 2 period the special demonstration Squad the SDS committed some of the most serious
00:26:47 committed some of the most serious abuses of state power against activists in modern times they displayed we say a complete contempt for the basic rights
00:26:58 complete contempt for the basic rights and dignity of those they spied upon as well as a disdain for the justice system they acted we say as if outside or above
00:27:15 they acted we say as if outside or above the law and we urge you to uncover those abuses of power and to identify the individuals and systems that enabled them to
00:27:24 them to happen uh in in paragraph two of our uploaded opening statement I have listed all the core participants who we
00:27:41 all the core participants who we represent and the organizations they participated in and I will briefly introduce them to you but in this address I will then proceed to deal briefly now with the framework within
00:27:53 briefly now with the framework within which the SDS operated the targets and tactics of the SDS miscarriages of Justice uh the s DS in gendered particularly relating to the core participants who I represent and
00:28:08 core participants who I represent and the commission by those officers of some criminal offenses and assuming and I hope now with the time available just to make some procedural concerns expressed by some of those we represent so we turn
00:28:22 by some of those we represent so we turn briefly to the groups and individuals we represent in general they were activists linked either to London Greenpeace or to the women's peace movement the Trafalga
00:28:33 the women's peace movement the Trafalga Square defendants campaign or to various groups concerned with animal rights they held differing political views and correspondingly employed a variety of
00:28:45 correspondingly employed a variety of methods uh of protest including direct action there was no unified approach to
00:28:57 action there was no unified approach to their individual or group campaigns not all of these C participants were pacifists however none of them we say encouraged or promoted direct action
00:29:08 encouraged or promoted direct action which would cause any physical harm to persons uh at all so sir we we start with uh a brief description of London Green Peace which is one of those
00:29:24 Green Peace which is one of those organizations you will uh be considering London Green Peace was established following the publication in 1971 of of the pacifist magazine peace
00:29:36 1971 of of the pacifist magazine peace news of an article about how individuals could take action in their own lives to pre preserve our ecosystem the group was in fact the first greenp peace group in Europe and
00:29:50 first greenp peace group in Europe and one of the first three in the world in 1987 the new better and well known National Organization Green Peace UK
00:30:01 National Organization Green Peace UK limited was set up London Green Piece was invited to merge into it but it declined to do so in a document produced in the
00:30:09 in the 1970s the group described itself as follows Green Peace London has existed
00:30:24 follows Green Peace London has existed for many years as an autonomous group of activists we share a nonviolent libertarian opposition to the exploitation of our ecosystem are Origins are in a special concern for everyone's personal
00:30:37 concern for everyone's personal responsibility to the environment and in particular commitment to oppose the ravaging of the environment by militarism so London Greenpeace campaigned on environmental and social justice issues initially primarily
00:30:50 justice issues initially primarily against nuclear weapons testing but later encompassing a wide range of issues developing a notable interest in animal rights in the mid 1980
00:31:10 animal rights in the mid 1980 lgp deliberately remained a small group of activists without leaders or formal membership decisions were taken by initiative and consensus of those involved whilst respecting their differences it encouraged people
00:31:23 differences it encouraged people everywhere to organize and to network with others to build up strong and Lasting movements to affect real change it had an open and Democratic
00:31:36 change it had an open and Democratic structure it had had offices in North London and held open meetings on a weekly or fortnightly basis I now move to list some of the core participants who we represent who
00:31:47 core participants who we represent who were particularly active in the group in the
00:31:48 the 1980s I start with Albert beel sir who is to be called before you on Monday the 11th of
00:31:55 11th of November Mr Beal is a lifelong activist dedicated to issues of Peace Justice and sustainability a committed pacifist
00:32:07 sustainability a committed pacifist atheist and Anarchist his interests in these Concepts began early in life his passion deepened while at University
00:32:19 passion deepened while at University when he became involved in bright and pacifist action his early activism fueled his interest in anti-national anti-military activism and over the years he became involved with several key organizations such as War resistors
00:32:35 key organizations such as War resistors International and the peace pledge union he was on the staff of Peace news for much of the 1970s and virtually all of the
00:32:48 the 1980s he was heavily involved in London Green Peace during the 1970s attending virtually every meeting although his involvement reduced somewhat during the 1980s due to other commitments he became
00:33:01 1980s due to other commitments he became more active again in in the 1990s during the defense campaign surrounding the McDonald's Lial action Martin low was also involved in the group he's to be called before you on Monday the 4th of November he
00:33:16 on Monday the 4th of November he describes himself as a pragmatic anarco pacifist he has a lifelong and unwavering commitment to nonviolence his activism began in 1968 when he attended
00:33:30 activism began in 1968 when he attended his first protest and became a member of the peace pledge Union the British section of War resistors International since then he has participated in numerous peace movements
00:33:45 participated in numerous peace movements he became a vegetarian in 1970 and later a vegan he views this as an aspect of his nonviolent activism he was involved in London Green Peace from 1973 to about
00:33:56 Peace from 1973 to about 1985 his involvement brought him into contact with number of campaigns including but not limited to the National peace Council operation n
00:34:07 National peace Council operation n Namibia an organization called partisans and the Tores Alliance amongst others with a strong background in the peace movement and anti-nuclear campaigning Martin low was uncomfortable with an
00:34:19 Martin low was uncomfortable with an increased focus on animal rights issues that developed within the lgp in the mid 1980s
00:34:28 1980s sir Dave Morris you heard from in Phase One of this trch and you will hear again from him not only in a brief opening on them at liable case later today but
00:34:41 them at liable case later today but during the course of evidence he will give on Tuesday the 5th of November as he told you in phase one he's been an activist since the mid 1970s he's known for his involvement in
00:34:55 1970s he's known for his involvement in various social justice and environmental and Community groups and campaign PS these were generally focused on anti- capitalist anti-corporate and
00:35:06 capitalist anti-corporate and environmental issues in the last 25 years he's focused mainly on local community campaigning he was involved with London Green Peace from 1982 and in this phase he was also
00:35:23 1982 and in this phase he was also heavily involved uh in organizations the Tottenham against the PO tax set up in November
00:35:25 November 1988 and by extension was all also influential in setting up the Trafalga Square defendants Campaign which was targeted by the SDS
00:35:45 targeted by the SDS officers he with others initiated and coordinated the tralo square defense campaign set up in 1990 for the 491 people arrested during and following the antipole tax demonstration in
00:35:58 antipole tax demonstration in 1990 the demonstration was on on the day before the controversial pole tax was due to be imposed and followed weeks of residents protests throughout the country the central London demonstration had we say been attacked
00:36:14 demonstration had we say been attacked and broken up by the police which led to the arrests and disturbances the Trafalga Square defense campaign was in fact a traditional
00:36:25 campaign was in fact a traditional defense campaign in its aims and its ways of working it was coordinated through open collectively run meetings and provided welfare and legal support to those arrested it campaigned for the
00:36:45 to those arrested it campaigned for the charges to be dropped organized pickets of legal hearings and prisons and produced newsletters and general publicity it ensured the antipole tax
00:36:57 publicity it ensured the antipole tax movement stayed United and strong in the face of continuous media and government tax and by the end of the year over 14 million people were refusing to pay the
00:37:10 million people were refusing to pay the tax it was we say unenforceable and was therefore
00:37:14 therefore scrapped now as you know Dave Morris was closely associated with Helen steel through their joint roles as defendants in the M liable trial which was we
00:37:25 in the M liable trial which was we comment the longest trial in English History Mr Morris represented him himself on that and will address you
00:37:40 himself on that and will address you separately on it but I turn now to Helen steel who is to be called before you on the 27th of November according to the current
00:37:42 current timetable yesterday you heard movingly
00:37:57 timetable yesterday you heard movingly from Miss kill Roy of King's Council how Miss deal was grossly and Cru sexually manipulated and abused by the under cover officer John dyes she was and is a lifelong committed activist who became interested in environmental and animal rights issues
00:38:14 environmental and animal rights issues as a teenager in December 1988 she took part in a massive women only protest embrac the base at greenham common she was inspired by seeing and being in the company of so many women taking action
00:38:30 company of so many women taking action together for peace she moved to London as a
00:38:31 as a 17-year-old and started volunteering at the offices of the British Union for the abolition of VIIs section in London and then at the animal Liberation Front
00:38:44 then at the animal Liberation Front supporters Group which were based in the same
00:38:50 same office from about 1984 she was involved in other groups such as the haringay community action and the haringay anarco feminists she was involved in running support animal rights prisoners s from
00:39:03 support animal rights prisoners s from 1985 to 1990 and she became involved in London Greenpeace in the late 1986 early 1987 and was involved in a range of
00:39:20 1987 and was involved in a range of campaigns including environmental issues peace and anti-nuclear protests and anti- capitalist protest campaigns Against Racism and sexism day rights Justice campaigns and workplace
00:39:32 Justice campaigns and workplace struggles we say not only has Helen steel been cruy abused by the SDS officer Joe officer dimes but none of her political conduct could ever begin to justify the gross intrusion into her
00:39:47 to justify the gross intrusion into her life caused by the surveillance to which she was subjected and so can I pause there to say that I note that you are
00:39:58 there to say that I note that you are looking at the long 80 page opening and I undertake to supply you at the conclusion of this address with a copy of the note from which I'm currently speaking which is obviously a much abbreviated one and I hope that will
00:40:10 abbreviated one and I hope that will help you sir as I deliver it it's not necessary to try and find it in the in the larger note I will ensure that you
00:40:26 the larger note I will ensure that you you have this note copied thank you so can I can I can I turn on to Gabriel Bosley
00:40:27 Bosley uh uh to be called before you on Wednesday the 6th of November and she
00:40:39 Wednesday the 6th of November and she was raised with a strong sense of Ethics kindness and compassion and a deep love of nature she has interests in issues involving social justice the environment
00:40:51 involving social justice the environment and animal rights as a reflection of her commitment to these values in 1985 she became a vegan and would also participate in Hunt saing however her method of camp campaigning has always been rooted in peaceful nonviolent activism from 1986 to
00:41:04 activism from 1986 to 19888 she was actively involved with London Greenpeace regularly attending meetings and often helping with
00:41:17 meetings and often helping with administrative tasks such as preparing information facts and responding to written
00:41:18 written inquiries Sir Paul grabit who will be called before you on Wednesday the 13th of November has been an anarchist and
00:41:31 of November has been an anarchist and activist on many social justice issues particularly animal rights since the early 198s he was active with London Greenpeace from
00:41:45 Greenpeace from 1986 he attended meetings regularly and was part of the collective helping to produce a number of documents and organizing campaigns including those against McDonald's and un he also organized a number of public meetings on a variety of topics
00:42:00 a variety of topics as well as his involvement with London Greenpeace Paul grabbit was also involved with several animal rights organizations in
00:42:12 organizations in 1982 the ALF supporters group alfsg was set up and Paul grabit became a member from 1988 to 89 he took over temporary responsibility for certain organizational
00:42:26 organizational tasks he also participated in lawful Direct action such as hand sabotage he was also involved in another number of other animal rights groups
00:42:41 number of other animal rights groups especially Islington animal rights later Hackney and Islington animal rights which campaigned against the local animal laboratory called biorx in 1991 Paul grabit sought to
00:42:54 biorx in 1991 Paul grabit sought to re-energize the animal rights movement by La launching a a a group called London boots Action Group LBH and I turned to say a few words about
00:43:07 and I turned to say a few words about that group it was launched at a public meeting in Conway Hall in November of 1991 with about 60 to 70 people in attendance Paul grabit was one of the founders of LBH and its principal aim
00:43:21 founders of LBH and its principal aim was to stop Viv section particularly the animal experiments conducted by boots it was a street based proest protest Group which had about 20 active supporters and over 100 members the
00:43:34 supporters and over 100 members the administration was carried out mostly from Paul grit's home address it too was targeted by undercover officers even
00:43:46 targeted by undercover officers even though it clearly posed no threat to the state and the SDS reports assessed the likely disorder at upcoming events as in inverted commas
00:43:59 inverted commas none another group is London animal action or
00:44:01 action or laa which was formed in 1994 from a collective of animal rights groups in London including London boots Action
00:44:14 London including London boots Action Group the ultimate aim of the London Animal Action was ending the exploitation of animals by bringing about animal Liberation its most prominent campaign
00:44:26 Liberation its most prominent campaign was against the London fur shops which were picking did it also campaigned against Viv section the meat and dairy Industries hunting circuses and zoos and it advocated
00:44:40 it advocated veganism a series of undercover officers joined the laa the ones that have been identified in this phase are Andy Cole
00:44:53 identified in this phase are Andy Cole hn2 hn1 Matt Raina hn 26 Christine green and hm60 Dave Evans at that time hn10 Bob Lambert had a managerial role over some of these
00:45:05 over some of these offices as well as infiltration by undercover officers laa was the target of corporate spies who work for the fur trade and Viv section
00:45:17 trade and Viv section industry and on behalf of the core participants we have concerns over the level of information sharing between the
00:45:29 level of information sharing between the undercover officers a and the of the SDS generally and corporate spies and the subsequent use of this information in civil proceedings against laa it's an issue that arises of course in the
00:45:44 issue that arises of course in the liable case as well and we hope that you will investigate that sir I move to CLA hildr who is to be called before you on the 11th of December she's another of our core participants she was one of
00:45:59 our core participants she was one of those who was active in the London boots Action Group and the laa she became involved in animal rights and human rights activism in 1992 when she
00:46:10 rights activism in 1992 when she attended a march with a work colleague and was handed an lb leaplet her employment history has always involved the type of work that helped people and
00:46:23 the type of work that helped people and she has worked as a residential support worker an immigration advisor and a Citizens advised supervisor and caseworker CLA hildr very P felt very passionately about the rights of animals to live free from Human exploitation and
00:46:40 to live free from Human exploitation and abuse she did not want anyone to be hurt and thought that there were more effective ways of bringing about change she was not an animal Li Liberation Front activist and was never involved in Al type activity Claire's campaigning
00:46:54 Al type activity Claire's campaigning and personal life were infiltrated by cover officers namely Matt rer and Andy koh's your hn1 and hn2 hm1 embedded himself into cla's life and the two
00:47:20 himself into cla's life and the two formed a very close personal friendship CLA feels used and deeply hurt by his actions so I now turn to the animal Liberation Front the Al and its supporters group The alfsg the aims and methods of the animal Liberation Front activists were
00:47:33 Liberation Front activists were summarized in a leaplet circulated in 1980 which states aims our long-term aim is simply to end totally the exploitation of animals by
00:47:49 totally the exploitation of animals by human beings in short in the short term we hope to save as many animals as possible from suffering methods our methods are direct action this usually takes takes two forms which are often combined in one action one rescuing animals from
00:48:05 action one rescuing animals from establishments where they are being or will be subjected to suffering these animals are either released into the wild if it is thought that they will stand a reasonable chance of survival or found good homes destroying or damaging
00:48:21 found good homes destroying or damaging property used in the process of causing suffering to animals
00:48:29 animals reference reverence life in all actions we take the utmost care that no harm should come to either human or animal life activists could claim acts of direct action as Al actions if they
00:48:44 direct action as Al actions if they fulfilled these criteria however there has never been a formal or informal group or organization that can correctly be called the ALF Alf actions were
00:48:57 be called the ALF Alf actions were classified by their aims and not by who carried them out the actions took many forms one of particular relevance to the inquiry was the use of improvised
00:49:09 inquiry was the use of improvised incendiary devices in stores which sold fur as set out in Publications by the ALF activists at the time it was never intended that the stores should burn down the aim was for the device to start a small fire which triggered the
00:49:22 a small fire which triggered the sprinkler system causing water damage and consequential economic loss Lo the devices did not explode and were Ed to go off in the middle of the night when
00:49:37 go off in the middle of the night when the store was empty now whilst the ALF did not exist as an organization or group there was however an office known as the ALF supporters group or the alfsg which as its name suggests
00:49:54 alfsg which as its name suggests consists of supporters of Alf activity the group did not take part in direct action it had a press officer and would produce Publications relating to the causes of animal Liberation one Al press officer for a
00:50:10 Liberation one Al press officer for a short period was Robin Lane I turned to him he is to give evidence to you on Tuesday the 12th of November he is a committed vegan of 42 years and
00:50:21 committed vegan of 42 years and passionately opposes the abuse of animals he first became involved in the animal an rights movement in 1982 with organizations campaigning against animal rights testing and abuse such as the
00:50:43 rights testing and abuse such as the buav and South London animal movement Slam in 1986 Robin Lane left slam to form an organization called rats a fundraising Group which produced Leets with a small membership in 1986 Robin
00:50:59 with a small membership in 1986 Robin Lane took over the role of alfsg General man manager between August of 1986 and June of 1988 and focused some of his activism around the Press office role in this
00:51:11 this period in his role as Alf press officer he produced literature including the action reports and a diary of actions and he also spoke publicly on behalf of the ALF SG and leased with the media he
00:51:29 the ALF SG and leased with the media he was a spokesperson Robin Lane continued to campaign for the animal rights movement through various vegan environment pacifist groups and he was a founding member of the campaign against leather leather and fur known as C in
00:51:43 leather leather and fur known as C in 1989 and London animal rights Coalition known as l in 1994 which was one of the groups that merged to become the
00:51:54 merged to become the laa sir I turn then to Jeff shepher who is to give evidence before you on Thursday the 14th of November he was a committed animal rights activist in the 1980s and the
00:52:07 1980s and the 1990s he was convicted of two serious offenses in each case a different undercover police officer was active and engaged in conduct which casts doubt on
00:52:21 engaged in conduct which casts doubt on the safety of his convictions those two convictions first Jeff Shephard uh and another activist Andrew Clark were convicted of offenses including Arsen committed in July of 1987 at deham stores they were alleged to have been
00:52:35 stores they were alleged to have been involved in the making imp planting of improvised incend devices now hn10 Bob Lambert who's to be called
00:52:49 hn10 Bob Lambert who's to be called before you in early December was we say intimately involved in planning and carrying out this action including apparently planting the uh devices in the house stor that was the first matter the
00:53:05 stor that was the first matter the second offense was when Jeff Shepard was later convicted of a Firearms offense committed in May of 1995 he was alleged to have Acquired and possessed a shotgun this will also be
00:53:17 possessed a shotgun this will also be addressed later in our submissions but again we say now that the undercover officer hn1 Matt rer played a significant role in this offense not least in encouraging Jeff sheeper to become reinol in rights direct action following his release from prison for
00:53:33 following his release from prison for the deams matter during that period one of Matt raina's supervisors was none other than Bob Lambert himself who had played a central role in the deams incident the roles the undercover officers played in these serious matters
00:53:49 officers played in these serious matters were never disclosed to the court or the prosecution during Jeff Shepard's criminal proceedings the use of the SDS undercover officers to obtain convictions turned the unit we say that have been designed to obtain long-term
00:54:04 have been designed to obtain long-term Intelligence on political movements into one aiming to secure criminal convictions but without any of the legal safeguards in place for more usual undercover operations the SDS with its Paramount
00:54:18 operations the SDS with its Paramount objective of maintaining cover rather than ensuring a fair trial with open Justice was completely unsuited to this task these incidents illustrate all the flaws inherent in the long-term deployments of undercover officers
00:54:34 deployments of undercover officers developed by the SDS and demonstrate the SDS is we say disdain effectively for the criminal justice system sir I turn briefly to greenham Common and the
00:54:45 briefly to greenham Common and the women's peace movement for you heard from Witnesses so far as this is concerned in Phase One you heard evidence from Jane Hickman Rebecca Johnson and Hillary Moore who were
00:55:02 Johnson and Hillary Moore who were involved in different capacities with it with the green and common women's peace camp and its Associated groups they share then and now a commitment to making the world a better safer and more peaceful place and to feminist principles of political
00:55:13 principles of political organization because you have heard from them I do not propose to read out
00:55:24 them I do not propose to read out paragraphs 40 to 44 of our note but save to say that as we do at paragraph 44 that there was a stark lack of justification for the deployment of undercover officers other than the apparent win of the then prime minister Margaret
00:55:42 Margaret thater so I conclude this section uh uh uh in paragraphs 15 to 19 of its
00:55:45 19 of its opening uh delivered yesterday the commissioner's Council listed a catalog
00:55:57 commissioner's Council listed a catalog of matters said to have been perpetrated by animal rights activists in order to seek to justify the unsupervised long-term infiltration which took place to of supporters of animal
00:56:11 animal rights it is of note that the dates and times or circumstances of those
00:56:20 times or circumstances of those particular allegations are not given but even if those matters occurred during the course of this Phase 2 period we suggest that it cannot justify the long-term deployment of undercover offic on the task way it is done on the SDS
00:56:31 on the task way it is done on the SDS model in failing to make distinctions between the various forms of activity carried out by Animal Rights group failing to distinguish Al actions from
00:56:42 failing to distinguish Al actions from the animal rights militia uncritically describing lawful protest at the homes of those centrally involved in animal rights abuse as terrifying and failing
00:56:54 rights abuse as terrifying and failing to respect the obvious difference that exists between the AL itself and those who are prepared to speak publicly about it in the ALS supporters group The
00:57:07 it in the ALS supporters group The commissioner's opening statement repeats many of the mistakes that we find in the SS's response to the animal rights
00:57:18 SS's response to the animal rights movement the commissioner claims that in many cases militants engaged in Terrorist activity despite the clear evidence of the security service in its assessment in 1991 that only a very
00:57:40 assessment in 1991 that only a very small part of such activity qualified as such the broad description of animal rights activists as militant simply displays a problematic failure to respect relevant differences between the groups and the individuals
00:57:53 groups and the individuals concerned we say it is of note that the untargeted Deep infiltration of SDS officers during this period does not appear to have discovered any individuals engaged in the kinds of
00:58:04 individuals engaged in the kinds of lifethreatening activities described it is a particular note that those amongst our clients were found by the courts to
00:58:15 our clients were found by the courts to have engaged in imprisonable activities did so only with the support and
00:58:27 did so only with the support and encouragement of those SDS officers who are to be called in this phase of the inquiry you may feel it right to conclude SDS officers sought to encourage sux activity so that amongst the policing Community it could use them to enhance its standing as a unit within the
00:58:38 its standing as a unit within the Metropolitan Police and apparently justify applications for continued funding the commissioner seeks to say
00:58:49 funding the commissioner seeks to say that there was a clear justification for the cot covert infiltration of militant
00:59:00 the cot covert infiltration of militant aspect of the animal rights movement are submission is that infiltration can never be justified on a purely speculative basis these long-term deployments were never Justified and never properly
00:59:12 never Justified and never properly reviewed this inquiry is to examine the actions of the SDS and undercover offices on the SDS model it is not
00:59:23 offices on the SDS model it is not concerned with whether under cover off operations wherever on an occasion Justified or came to be used for beneficial purposes we say that the
00:59:37 beneficial purposes we say that the deployment of the undercover officers on the SDS model was not justified even in principle against any of the groups we represent or individuals we also say that the flaws in using SDS officers are clearly displayed in the criminal
00:59:48 clearly displayed in the criminal prosecutions of those involved in animal rights activities which resulted from the SBS operations the highly intrusive reporting on campaigning groups by the SDS in this TR was we say an outrage
01:00:00 SDS in this TR was we say an outrage against civil liberties the actions of the undercover officers involved we hope will be fully exposed as entirely
01:00:17 will be fully exposed as entirely without justification sir I move to our chapter 2 which is ready chapter one about the framework which the SDS operations took place I recognize that is a very lengthy chapter it is between chap paragraphs 46 and
01:00:31 chap paragraphs 46 and 113 and I'm going to try here really simply to focus it in four short paragraphs we invite you to give careful consideration to our detailed
01:00:42 consideration to our detailed submissions in those paragraphs but due to the time restrictions do we do not propose to deal with them in any detail we submit it's important that the inquiry keeps a solid focus on the structure within which the special
01:00:58 structure within which the special demonstration Squad operate and this is not limited to its place within the special Branch or the Metropolitan Police but involves consideration of its relationship to the security service the home office the cabinet office and individual politicians now we set out in
01:01:16 individual politicians now we set out in those uh uh uh paragraphs details of the operational influence of the security service on the SDS uh from paragraphs 50 onwards in summary the evidence shows
01:01:32 onwards in summary the evidence shows the security service and the SDS working alongside each other in close leao at all levels with security service interested permeating the work of the SDS as SDS manager nn15 Tony Wade states he had almost
01:01:48 nn15 Tony Wade states he had almost weekly contact with the security service and the SDS would always seek the views of the security service before deciding on groups to Target now we also set out in that written opening the in opening
01:02:02 in that written opening the in opening the interest the Security Service hading Groups connected to the core participants we represent we submit that the evidence demonstrates the intense political interest and influence on targeting by the SDS both in the
01:02:21 targeting by the SDS both in the security service and the government and the SDS operation against London Green Peace the animal rights movement and green peace and others was and we invite you to conclude this at its heart political now so I turned then to our
01:02:33 political now so I turned then to our second limb which starts at paragraph 114 and again I'm going to seek to deal with it
01:02:40 with it briefly targets and tactics this period saw the deployment of many unacceptable and abor tactics
01:02:54 of many unacceptable and abor tactics deployed by the SDS and we set them out briefly now first of all we suggest there was an oblique approach which we used to describe the many groups targeted by the SDS which did not
01:03:05 targeted by the SDS which did not themselves pose concerns either for public order or subversion and this was recognized by the SDS the apparent
01:03:19 recognized by the SDS the apparent justification for their infiltration was to seek to obtain Intelligence on IL defined
01:03:21 defined extremists who it was speculated might be within the group this can be seen in many of the smaller animal rights groups which were targeted by the SDS actions
01:03:34 which were targeted by the SDS actions usually involved demonstrations outside premises connected to animal abuse and homes and the homes of those involved in Viv section or the fur trade and whilst no doubt unwelcomed by those we were
01:03:46 no doubt unwelcomed by those we were Target who were targeted it is important to recognize that home visits were a lawful activity at the time and they were intended to be peaceful and if there was any public order issue it
01:04:01 there was any public order issue it would be minor and hardly Justified the resources of an undercover policing unit the lack we say of public order threat posed by animal rights groups was recognized by the SDS in in this period
01:04:18 recognized by the SDS in in this period and in particular and ironically by Bob Lambert when he recorded in an SDS discussion paper and I quote that by late
01:04:26 late 1984 however the public order threat posed by various animal rights groups had all but
01:04:41 had all but disappeared those are the words of the man who at that time was infiltrating these
01:04:42 these groups by late 1984 however the public order threat posed by various animal rights groups
01:04:55 posed by various animal rights groups had all but disappeared and he even then went on to criticize undercover officer Mike chitty for monitoring legitimate animal rights groups in South London and becoming immersed in the Cozy world of middleclass Animal Rights
01:05:13 middleclass Animal Rights Campaign there is hence recognition that some SDS undercover officers targeted perfectly legitimate animal rights groups four years without making any significant intelligent contribution the second point we make is about the taking of positions of responsibility by
01:05:28 of positions of responsibility by undercover officers and their influence on
01:05:29 on groups in seeking to gain access to personal information on the members of groups targeted the SDS undercover officers regularly took on positions of
01:05:40 officers regularly took on positions of responsibility within those groups this
01:05:52 responsibility within those groups this is clearly seen in the deployment of hn2 Andy Kohl's a co-founder of lock who in his own words took over running the running of the alfsg
01:06:03 running of the alfsg when other activists were unable to and was in reality second in charge of the AL undercover officers also in influenced the political direction of groups targeted by more informal Mees
01:06:15 groups targeted by more informal Mees for example Martin low believes it was Bob Lambert who was instrumental in moving the initial interests of London green priest in Broad environmental and anti-militarism to become much more
01:06:30 anti-militarism to become much more focused on animal rights it would fit with his
01:06:31 with his tasking as well as being in proper interference with political campaigning these shifts in Direction had the potential to cause tension within a group there is some belated recognition
01:06:49 group there is some belated recognition of the deficiencies of the SDS managers in preventing undercover officers from taking on positions of responsibility and influencing groups as hn 109 states there was always some concern that
01:07:02 there was always some concern that personalities would become dominant in an
01:07:07 an organization this was true of DS Lambert more than any other officer he notes it was assumed that
01:07:21 officer he notes it was assumed that hm10 would stay on the right side of the Blurred Line that nearly every undercover officer encountered but notes that in hindsight that may not have been a
01:07:36 in hindsight that may not have been a correct view finally in this section I touch upon lack of supervision it's a paragraph 127 of our our opening the level of unsupervised Freedom given to undercover officers to conduct their deployments was
01:07:49 deployments was unprecedented between requests from the security service to Target certain groups and the discretion given to the undercover officers there was little scope for managers to exercise any
01:08:02 scope for managers to exercise any proper control over tasking the lack of supervision and Reporting was not confined to SDS managers other undercover officers failed to take proper steps to report uh misconduct by fellow officers and one example of
01:08:13 fellow officers and one example of course is HM2 Andy Kohl's who turned up late at night and uninvited at the home
01:08:28 late at night and uninvited at the home address of a young female activist when inside he made unwanted sexual Advan towards her and the young woman was upset and confided in someone she considered to be a fellow activist and
01:08:42 considered to be a fellow activist and friend it was none other the Matt rer in fact another undercover officer and of course no action was taken on the concern by Matt Raina to alert anyone as to this ped predatory behavior and of
01:08:54 to this ped predatory behavior and of course there was targeting of vulnerable persons concerning the behavior Andy Cole's forms part of a wider pattern uh exploiting vulnerable persons it should be recognized that undercover officers
01:09:12 be recognized that undercover officers were often significantly older than the activists they spied upon not only did the tradecraft manual recommend that undercover officers knock a few years off when creating their undercover
01:09:23 off when creating their undercover identity younger and more impressionable activists were of and targeted that happened to men and women as Paul grabit States of uh hn10 Bob
01:09:38 States of uh hn10 Bob Lambert it was pleasing being in his company and he could be Charming I was a young man when I met him and he was like an elder brother I looked up to him and respected him
01:09:53 looked up to him and respected him looking back I realized there was an element of grooming in our ring it's particularly appalling that hn33 Lee
01:10:08 hn33 Lee bosner infiltrated Lambeth women for peace used a cover story of a woman escaping an abusive relationship we say it underlined the sexism and misogyny in the SDs that somebody would come into a woman's peace
01:10:24 somebody would come into a woman's peace group with a madeup story about domestic abuse
01:10:32 abuse the undercover officers were prepared to take advantage of whatever means they could to infiltrate Target groups you sir must keep a keen focus on the imbalance of power that often
01:10:45 the imbalance of power that often existed between undercover officers and their targets and the manipulative tactics used as well as the extent to which such tactics were an inevitable consequence
01:10:59 consequence of the decision to deploy officers in longterm undercover roles in an open-ended operation with lack of p safeguards and with lack of proper
01:11:10 safeguards and with lack of proper supervision so I turn to our chapter three on miscarriages of Justice this obviously is a core area of concern uh
01:11:24 obviously is a core area of concern uh to um uh see and sees the involvement of SDS offic
01:11:28 SDS offic in criminal proceedings increasing in both frequency and seriousness the problems that arise stem
01:11:41 seriousness the problems that arise stem from the policy of total secrecy adopted by the SDS in which the primary aim of this avoiding disclosure of the existence of the SDS operatives was put above concerns over misleading a court
01:11:52 above concerns over misleading a court or ensuring the Integrity of the justice system and we say this at it heart led
01:12:03 system and we say this at it heart led to the Grave gra miscarriages of justice so we summarize in paragraphs 138 to 158 uh uh uh the um uh uh in in our opening paragraphs and we invite you to consider carefully the framework in
01:12:16 consider carefully the framework in which effectively they were operating essentially we say and I hope to summarize these paragraphs in this way we say the analysis of the various guidance
01:12:25 guidance shows that the SDS guidance gave undercover officers in the SDS greater freedoms to participate in crime and to act
01:12:39 act unaccountably in a way that did not lead up to the standards of the Metropolitan Police Service all even those contained in the special branch code of conduct as for the SDS tradecraft man
01:12:52 conduct as for the SDS tradecraft man manual which Oliver Sanders Casey yet yesterday sought to portray as having a lack of status effectively uh it
01:13:05 lack of status effectively uh it appeared he was saying it was nothing more than a Mema that guidance enabled and empowered
01:13:16 guidance enabled and empowered undercover officers of the SDS to act with
01:13:17 with impunity in the belief that they would always be supported by their superiors free to partici anticipate and even
01:13:35 free to partici anticipate and even Insight crime so I've summarized those paragraphs in that way so I turned to the paragraph headed uh the deams improvised incendiary devices uh uh on the and and so I don't know whether it's possible to put up the photo of Bob Lamb but we ask for it to
01:13:52 photo of Bob Lamb but we ask for it to happen if it's not possible I will move on but at this stage it was to be done and if it can be done at the moment I would ask for it to be done but if it's
01:14:03 would ask for it to be done but if it's not possible I I move on without it um I move on I I'm afraid to say that um those who didn't comply with the deadline set by the inquiry team uh have
01:14:15 deadline set by the inquiry team uh have unfortunately to to Bear the consequence that the FED GRS w't be put up sir I I have no problem with that Approach at all on the night of the 11th and 12th of July of
01:14:21 July of 1987 improvised incendiary devices were planted in deham stores in Luton Romford and Harrow £340,000 worth of damage was
01:14:34 and Harrow £340,000 worth of damage was caused to the Harrow Branch alone with4 million pounds in fire damage and 4.5 million trading losses across all three shortly following the incident deham store stores stopped selling fur I
01:14:47 store stores stopped selling fur I simply say that by way of an outcome SDS intelligence provided by Bob Lambert LED to the arrests of Andrew Clark and Jeff
01:15:01 to the arrests of Andrew Clark and Jeff sheeper for these incidents or may have uniformed police officers were able to make these arrests when the two men were in the process of making further uh
01:15:16 in the process of making further uh devices the arrest of Clark and Shepherd were clearly celebrated within the SDS and Beyond they are explicitly referenced in the forward to the 1987
01:15:29 referenced in the forward to the 1987 special Branch annual report report the subsequent convictions were similarly lorded Bob Lambert received the
01:15:40 lorded Bob Lambert received the Commendation for his alleged role in the investigation however his true role was not revealed to those outside the SDS certainly his role was not disclosed to the prosecution at the trial of Clark and shepher as has now been clearly
01:16:02 and shepher as has now been clearly confirmed by Mr Justice Sweeny who was then Prosecuting trial council at the time as Jeff Shephard States in his witness statement Mr Lambert was initially involved in the planning and execution of the campaign and himself
01:16:15 execution of the campaign and himself planted or claimed to have planted the devices in the Harrow Branch this is confirmed by Paul gravit who was not charged with any offense arising from this
01:16:26 arising from this campaign however an undertaking having been given by the attorney general not
01:16:37 been given by the attorney general not to prosecute non-state core participants on the basis of evidence given to your inquiry in the light of that undertaking Paul grabit was able to provide details not only of his own involvement in the deams IID campaign
01:16:48 involvement in the deams IID campaign but also to confirm the role played by hn10 Bob Lambert he says that butt not only played a part in the deams attack but had but that he had also claim to
01:17:10 but had but that he had also claim to perpetrated an incend attack on selfes sh selfes store in the August of 1988 at some time in 1986 Bob Lambert chaed an initial
01:17:21 1986 Bob Lambert chaed an initial planning meeting for the def deon's IID campaign Jeff Shepard and Paul Lambert were present this was described by Jeff Shephard as the Genesis of the de deams conspiracy which Bob was ingal
01:17:38 conspiracy which Bob was ingal to several meetings followed at which Lambert was present deam store were chosen as targets because they sold fur Lambert chose to Target the Harrow store Jeff Shepard had selected the Romford
01:17:49 Jeff Shepard had selected the Romford store and when Jeff Shephard realized that the Romford store did not have a third apartment he wasn't sure whether
01:18:00 third apartment he wasn't sure whether to continue with the plan but Bob argued it remained a legitimate Charlie Jeff Shephard States if it had not been for him persuading me to carry on I would
01:18:15 him persuading me to carry on I would then I would not have planted the device in the Romford store he did not simply go along with this plan he was positively encouraging it and pushing for
01:18:25 for it the viic were collected on the 11th of July of 1987 and placed in the department store the group met afterwards Paul grait
01:18:37 the group met afterwards Paul grait informed the others that he was unable to place a device in his store but by contrast Bob Lambert stated he had placed one of his devices as occurred in
01:18:48 placed one of his devices as occurred in Hara on the 9th of September of 1987 the police search was carried out and found Clark and shepher Manufacturing devices uh inry devices
01:19:03 uh inry devices the clear conclusion is that Bob Lambert was Central to the planning preparation and implementation of the deim uh campaign in July of 1987 he we say unsurprisingly denies this involvement he maintains that he was merely a
01:19:20 he maintains that he was merely a trusted confident of Jeff Shephard which allowed him to gain information about the uh
01:19:24 the uh campaign but that he was not involved in the planning or the execution of the actions we invite you to examine his evidence carefully upon this matter so
01:19:40 evidence carefully upon this matter so the analysis of contemporaneous reports we set out in our written opening why the account of Bob Lambert does not stand up to scrutiny when placed amongst the contemporaneous documents the
01:19:53 the contemporaneous documents the picture which emerges is of hn10 being privy to information which which only those involved in the incend device campaign could have known curating and withholding the extent of his knowledge
01:20:04 withholding the extent of his knowledge within SDS reports restricting the flow of information outside the SDS disseminating misleading information outside the SDS and drip feeding the provision of information about who was
01:20:15 provision of information about who was actually involved in such a manner as to hide his actions Lambert's only explanation for the discrepancies in the information provided or omitted is the SDS
01:20:28 SDS reports is that it was sanitized by others in the SDS for Source protection however the evidence discloses that the relevant SDS managers deny sanitizing reports in that way
01:20:42 deny sanitizing reports in that way there also appears to be a scarcity of
01:20:52 there also appears to be a scarcity of written records of the intelligence that Bob Lambert was providing the level of activity which Bob Lambert appears to have engaged in in the period around July does not appear to be reflected in the number of intelligence reports that have been obtained by the inquiry a
01:21:04 have been obtained by the inquiry a further telling discrepancy concerns the closed circuit television footage from the Harrow store which was seized from the Harrow store at the time the I ID was planted this was recorded as having
01:21:17 was planted this was recorded as having been obtained by the police the original exhibits officer has a clear recollection of special Branch officers attending and taking custody of the exhibits in the
01:21:28 exhibits in the case after this point the CCTV appears to have gone missing clearly if Bob Lambert or others connected to it have been involved in planting the incendiary
01:21:41 been involved in planting the incendiary devices then the CCTV footage might have revealed this to date we submit no good explanation has been provided as to why the exhibits were seized by special branch and why the CCTV then went
01:22:00 branch and why the CCTV then went missing so we have concerns about uh the undercover officers and their managers at least some managers in the SPs had concerns over Bob Lambert's actions hm 109 says it was difficult to understand how he was obtaining such detailed
01:22:11 how he was obtaining such detailed Intelligence on the ALS incend device campaign without being closely involved than he should have been the value in his intelligence potentially blinded
01:22:24 his intelligence potentially blinded more senior officers to how it it was being
01:22:33 being obtained concerns over Lambert's role in the deams campaign were also raised by other undercover officers long before long before any undercover officers or the work of the SDS became more publicly known in
01:22:49 SDS became more publicly known in 1994 Mike chitty met with John lipom where he Rec is recorded as raising concerns that SDS about SD s officers targeting Al
01:23:00 targeting Al activity he's quoted as saying he had no remit for the criminal participation inherent in their work regarding Bob Lambert's role in the conviction of Andrew Clark and Jeff sheeper he said
01:23:15 Andrew Clark and Jeff sheeper he said that undercover involvement in the case far exceeded any provisions under the criminal law or police regulations so Bob Lambert's actions in securing the arrest and conviction of Jeff Shepard and Andrew Clark went Way
01:23:28 Jeff Shepard and Andrew Clark went Way Beyond the bounds of any conduct which could possibly have been authorized Lambert played an integral part in the planning and carrying out of the deams IID campaign of note we say a
01:23:39 IID campaign of note we say a preoccupation with preventing discovery of his role overrode any concerns over a fair trial for the defendants in the case if such concerns were ever
01:23:50 case if such concerns were ever considered subsequent actions in obtaining confidential information about the trial preparation further compounded the Injustice Bob Lambert's later position as a manager in the SDS gave
01:24:02 position as a manager in the SDS gave him and I simply say this the means to destroy evidence of his true role in the devanam campaign when faced with a threat to expose his unacceptable
01:24:16 threat to expose his unacceptable behavior and it raises concerns over the apparent lack of contemporaneous documentation concerning them we simply say it raises those concerns the inquiry we ask must expose or we invite you to
01:24:28 we ask must expose or we invite you to expose the truth of what actually took
01:24:40 expose the truth of what actually took place his action certainly had impact on others Bob Lambert's provision of false information in the SDS reports had an impact Beyond those we were who were involved in the deams campaign I turned
01:24:55 involved in the deams campaign I turned to MSW another of the core participants I represent Between 1979 and 1984 a person known in this inquir by the pseudonym s MSW was involved in Anarchist workerist and Community circles they were involved in they were not involved in any covert illegal
01:25:08 not involved in any covert illegal activity at any time pointed out during uh his political act activism MSW was identified in SDS reports as a Quarter Master and we say this is significant in the deon's
01:25:20 the deon's campaign can you stop it sorry this is Holy false and was fabricated mssw knows nothing about the planning
01:25:32 mssw knows nothing about the planning manufacturer or placing of incendiary devices in deons he did not and does not
01:25:48 devices in deons he did not and does not know Jeff sheeper Andrew Clark or a hn10 bob Lambert MSW remains astonished and alarmed who have been identified as a main player in the commission of a serious crime of which he is entirely innocent and about which he had no knowledge and sir I simply make this comment Upon A a statement up on the uh
01:26:05 comment Upon A a statement up on the uh uh uh uh uh a peque system of a witness who's to be called before you it is interesting to note that fabrication if you find it to be such a Fabrication in the context of the witness statement of Mr
01:26:16 Mr Green about what was being said about him and his role and one of the theories that uh one look looks at and we invite
01:26:32 that uh one look looks at and we invite you to consider is whether is whether uh there was uh placing of people into roles that were actually called by undercover officers so a number of serious allegations of criminality are made in reports by hn10 Bob Lambert
01:26:52 made in reports by hn10 Bob Lambert proposed uh uh concerning Helen steel he was involved in the IID campaign these allegations are completely denied we suggest they are lightly Fabrications made by
01:26:57 made by hn10 uh for career advancement or to cover his own actions some of the ACC
01:27:09 cover his own actions some of the ACC accusations made against Helen Spiel are alleged by others to be illegal actions carried out by hn10 Bob lamit himself the reports are lacking in significant detail and do not provide any contemporaneous Providence for the claims made within them they are
01:27:23 claims made within them they are entirely supported by any other means unsupported by any other means no credible basis for the allegation has been provided Bob Lambert was made to make such un was able to make such
01:27:34 make such un was able to make such unfounded allegations demonstrat the complete absence of checks and balances within the SDS Reporting System the lack of detail in reports makes testing the
01:27:46 of detail in reports makes testing the complaints almost impossible which only serves to comound comound the Injustice cour H intends other involvement in criminality other than in Deon Sir
01:27:59 criminality other than in Deon Sir Christopher Bailey who is to be called before you on the 6th of November was politically active in 1997 to the early 2000s participating in various Anarchist and animal rights organizations he
01:28:17 and animal rights organizations he became involved in London Green Peace in 1987 and through London Green Peace he became in the boots involved in the London boots Action Group in an SDS report he was described as one of the most energetic anarchists in London in
01:28:30 most energetic anarchists in London in 1985 Christopher Bailey was convicted of criminal damage committed with Bob Lambert he was invited by Bob to Bob Lambert's house where he was given alcohol and cannabis and he was then
01:28:43 alcohol and cannabis and he was then encouraged to travel with Bob Lambert to a butcher shop where another person broke a window Bob Lambert and the other individual then drove away from the scene leaving Chris Bailey to be
01:28:56 scene leaving Chris Bailey to be arrested by play cl's police officer he was later charged and convicted Christopher Bailey believes he was set up by Bob Lambert the same applies to the
01:29:05 the BX incident Jeff sheeper gives a clear account of accompanying Bob Lambert to an incident where he carried out an Arsen attack on a building that he Bob
01:29:18 Arsen attack on a building that he Bob Lambert that is carried out an answered attack on a building owned by barx he States it was Bob's idea and he was the instigator of the action and he was the person who carried it out where my role was simply as a lookout these actions
01:29:31 was simply as a lookout these actions were described in the London Alf news produced in the spring of 1987 by Bob Lambert himself in addition to this he also produced an anonymous leaflet
01:29:45 also produced an anonymous leaflet entitled you are the Alm which called on people to carry out direct actions themselves instead of asking others to do it on their behalf we invite you to fully examine Bob Lambert's involvement so I turn to Matt rer and the uh later
01:30:02 so I turn to Matt rer and the uh later incident Jeff Shepard gives evidence of a series of direct actions involving criminal damage which took place between 1993 and may of 1995 when uh Jeff sheeper would was
01:30:15 1995 when uh Jeff sheeper would was arrested and remanded in custody for the Firearms he states that the numbers involved on at least some occasions were small but the hn1 Matt rer was always in has was always involved driving
01:30:27 has was always involved driving activists on actions without him transporting us to the location the attacks never would have taken place
01:30:39 attacks never would have taken place these things moreover in 1995 Matt rer took a dummy incend device from Jeff sheeper and placed it in a boots shop in his witness statement Jeff sheeper
01:30:52 his witness statement Jeff sheeper states that uh Matt Raina persuaded him to get involved in direct action again after his release from prison and also provided practical assistance transporting him to him and other activists in his fan it was after this series of direct actions
01:31:06 was after this series of direct actions that Jeff Shephard came into possession of a shotgun this was provided to him by someone he had met whilst in prison initially for safekeeping the contact later offered to sell the gun to Jeff
01:31:17 later offered to sell the gun to Jeff Jeff Shepherd the gun was never to be used to call harm to anyone and it was to damage cameras or similar as part of direct action Jeff Shephard first told
01:31:34 direct action Jeff Shephard first told hm1 that he'd come into possession of a firearm about two months before he was eventually arrested hn1 Raina appeared to be quite impressed and happy and did not voice any concerns or try to persuade Jeff
01:31:46 any concerns or try to persuade Jeff Shephard to get rid of the gun the gun was never intended to be used to harm anyone and Matt raina's claim that it would be used to murder a well-known biver sector is
01:32:01 biver sector is false apparently it was on the basis of intelligence provided by Matt rer that Jeff Shepherd's home was served although we know what was said by Council to the inquiry in his opening so far as the
01:32:15 inquiry in his opening so far as the lack of documentation so far as that is concerned and the approach of the officers who actually attended the scene Jeff Shephard was obviously arrested Roman and pleaded guilty to the Firearms
01:32:28 Roman and pleaded guilty to the Firearms offense and was sentenced to seven years imprisonment of course no disclosure of an undercover officer appears to be made to any of the prosecution or to the
01:32:39 to any of the prosecution or to the court itself and it is important to view the manner in which Jeff Shepard came into possession and kept the firearm in the context of The Wider circumstances he was in at the time he was encouraged to return to direct action by Matt rer
01:32:53 to return to direct action by Matt rer who played a vital role in a series of of criminal damage actions it was following this that Jeff Shepard was approached by someone to look after the firearm Matt rer did not dissuade him
01:33:07 firearm Matt rer did not dissuade him from this course in any way Matt Raina was again like Lambert lorded for his role in securing the conviction of Jeff Shepard on Firearms defenses his deployment as an undercover officer was
01:33:21 deployment as an undercover officer was also extended as a consequence the case has many parallels with the earlier actions uh of Bob Lambert who was a manager in the SDS at the time very significantly there is an absence of contemporaneous report relating to the
01:33:37 contemporaneous report relating to the action of Matt rer over this period Bob Lambert was a manager in the SDS and there was therefore in a position to
01:33:48 there was therefore in a position to destroy documents so I turned to Legal privilege which was another issue we raised
01:33:53 raised that in our our note in our our opening the SDS reports are replete with examples of reporting on legally privileged material that happened in connection with Bob Lambert and the deams offenses when he visited Jeff
01:34:04 deams offenses when he visited Jeff sheeper in prison uh whilst awaiting trial reports were produced from these visits contain significant information about the preparation for trial by
01:34:15 about the preparation for trial by Andrew Shepard and Jeff she by Andrew Clark and Jeff Shepard including potential pleas assessment of the prosecution evidence tactical approaches to the trial the likelihood of of the
01:34:28 to the trial the likelihood of of the defendants giving evidence difficulties in relation relationships between the defendants and their legal team and conflicts between the codefendants the SDS managers uh SDS manager 109 now
01:34:39 SDS managers uh SDS manager 109 now accepts that these are deeply concerning in heite and does not recall any authorization being s for the visits
01:34:50 authorization being s for the visits surprisingly no consideration appears to have been given as to the propriety of using subu to gain information from a defendant about a forthcoming trial the officers seek to rely on technical
01:35:02 officers seek to rely on technical arguments regarding the formal scope of legal privilege to deflect criticism from the SDS managers uh the attitude of SDS managers to Legal privilege is
01:35:16 SDS managers to Legal privilege is particularly concerning as hm 109 said I'm not sure I understood at the time what constituted legal privileged information on that basis I do not believe I gave any guidance or instructions to undercover officers that
01:35:30 instructions to undercover officers that there was any policy on the matter given this state of knowledge amongst the managers of the SDS it is unsurprising that legally privileged uh and other confidential information was routinely recorded under attained it is
01:35:45 recorded under attained it is symptomatic we say of the disdain that the SDS showed towards the legal proceedings in general and the SDS managers did not properly understand it so the the conclusion is that the
01:35:58 so the the conclusion is that the participation of undercover officers in criminal activities and the failure to disclose this in subsequent prosecutions and consequential misleading of the court it's the most serious of wrongdoings by the SDS we invite you to
01:36:13 wrongdoings by the SDS we invite you to fearlessly investigate the circumstances of these cases however unpalatable the results may be so I just finally want to use a moment to uh uh address the procedural concerns
01:36:30 procedural concerns and invite in particular uh you to turn to our document where we Aras concerns raised by Helen steel her case exemplifies the most acute effects of the procedural difficulties outlined by us in
01:36:40 us in arate she has set out her concerns in relation to the inquiry's approach to disclosure deadlines for non-p police and non-state core participants and
01:36:54 and non-state core participants and privacy in detailed and long-standing correspondence to the inquiry the Practical effect of the approach taken is that Miss steel has been asked to consider many thousands of pages of
01:37:09 consider many thousands of pages of material under extreme time pressures which relate to the abuse that she suffered as well as serious distressing
01:37:22 suffered as well as serious distressing and untrue allegations made against her by undercover officers including John dimes and Bob Lambert we invite you to give carefully uh and understand the considerable distress and Trauma associated with her continual
01:37:38 Trauma associated with her continual re-engagement with materials relating to these men's abuses yet we say respectfully instead
01:37:52 abuses yet we say respectfully instead of taking a trauma informed approach the inquiry's imposition of strict and fle inflexible deadlines in relation to her witness statement and applications for privacy reductions have made M
01:38:01 made M Steel's effective participation really difficult this is further exacerbated by the inquiry's reluctance to apply
01:38:13 the inquiry's reluctance to apply privacy redactions to untrue allegations made against Mis steal within the disclosed material despite multiple direct requests to do so and despite it happening in nection with other
01:38:28 happening in nection with other Witnesses this risks wrongly Shifting the inquiry's focus onto unproven allegations against her rather than what should be its primary focus and the reasons for which this inquiry was
01:38:41 reasons for which this inquiry was established namely to establish police conduct in the relevant period the cumulative impact of this process on Miss deal has been significant and is
01:38:53 significant and is ing although she commendably regards it as her responsibility to give important evidence to this inquiry she wishes the inquiry to understand that the
01:39:06 inquiry to understand that the consequences including the extensive invasion of her privacy have been profound and risk undermining the effectiveness of the inquiry itself
01:39:20 effectiveness of the inquiry itself given the unique and crucial evidence that she
01:39:26 that she possesses the participation of her uh in the inquiry we say is crucial to The
01:39:37 the inquiry we say is crucial to The inquiry's credibility and its ability to reach fair and just findings sir in our conclusions we simply Drew your attention to two authorities which give useful passages and ironically to the
01:39:55 useful passages and ironically to the European Court's judgment in the case of Steel and Morris against the United Kingdom in that the European Court stated and I'm now at the very end of our statement the government have pointed out that the applicants were not journalists and should not therefore
01:40:07 journalists and should not therefore attract the high level of protection afforded to the Press under article 10 the court considers however that in a Democratic Society even small and
01:40:19 Democratic Society even small and informal P campaign groups such as London green peace must be able to carry on their activities effectively and that there exists a
01:40:33 effectively and that there exists a strong public interest in enabling such groups and individuals outside the mainstream to contribute to the public debate by disseminating information and ideas on matters of general public
01:40:44 ideas on matters of general public interest such as health and environment
01:40:55 interest such as health and environment sir I pause had the European Court been aware at the time that they said those words of the gross intrusion that is actually was ongoing by state operatives in these
01:41:04 in these organizations I'm sure the words that would have been uttered would have been more forceful these passages cited
01:41:17 more forceful these passages cited contain important principles concerning the state's conduct in relation to protest Free Speech encompasses campaigning letter writing demonstration
01:41:30 campaigning letter writing demonstration marxists marches pickets and even direct action freedom of expression in all its forms is an essential requirement for democracy and the actions of the SDS as disclosed in this uh uh uh phase failed to recognize the inherent value of
01:41:50 to recognize the inherent value of protest movement of all types were still the SDS represented the worst in our society a cynical attempt by by the state to use its policing powers in order to secure political
01:42:03 order to secure political Advantage so the SDS was a unit within a state establishment that we say was incapable of properly balancing the civil and Democratic rights of individuals against a desire for unlimited intelligence
01:42:14 unlimited intelligence capture it should not have existed and more importantly those in power should never have enabled it so I thank you for your understanding I will ensure that
01:42:26 your understanding I will ensure that the electronic copy is with you as it will undoubtedly assist you I don't want to go into why there was such a difference between the two but there was and uh I finish my
01:42:43 and uh I finish my remarks thank you may I say two things to you first is uh in relation to the procedural difficulties that have been encountered um there are uh numerous um
01:43:00 encountered um there are uh numerous um views about that and now is not the time uh to go into it um if if ever there is an appropriate time it will be at leisure and later um secondly may I ask
01:43:16 leisure and later um secondly may I ask you because one of your clients is Helen steel uh to communicate to her if she's not listening to what I am saying now personally in any event uh that I acknowledge that she has produced a detailed and informative witness
01:43:28 detailed and informative witness statement in part without the assistance of uh her
01:43:30 of uh her lawyers uh it is of the greatest assistance to me in attempting to get at the truth of what
01:43:48 attempting to get at the truth of what occurred all those years ago and I um am encouraged to hear that she wishes to support it with her oral evidence um May I ask through you that she produces to the inquiry in the very
01:44:03 she produces to the inquiry in the very near future rather than at the time she gives evidence the documents to which she's referred in particular the photographs I will certainly conve my sistera who will be listening on will no doubt ensure that that that that takes place thank you sir and I apologize that
01:44:22 place thank you sir and I apologize that I grossly overshot my time allowance but we have struggled to reduce the the the submissions we had to make and I apologize for that not at all you have um uh stuck well within the um uh time that you have been allowed when you rightly drew to the attention of the
01:44:37 rightly drew to the attention of the inquiry staff that you were unlikely to be able to complete within the uh allotted time you have not you have not exceeded your uh uh the reasonable bounds of uh What uh should be available to advocates in the least thank
01:44:50 to advocates in the least thank you time is now 20 Past and we will have a quarter of an hour break and resume at uh or shortly after
01:45:21 252
01:59:51 e e
02:00:41 Mr Menon uh welcome back uh I understand you're speaking from u a hotel room in Leeds and that the connection may be disrupted uh if it is we'll bear with you um I hope it won't
02:00:52 we'll bear with you um I hope it won't be but I I keep getting these messages that the internet connection is unstable so my apologies in
02:01:02 advance uh good morning sir during the uh tranch 2 phase one hearings in July this year the friends of Freedom press made an opening statement that focused on special branch and SDS spying on the
02:01:14 on special branch and SDS spying on the anarchist movement and in particular by Roger Pierce hn 85 who infiltrated the freedom Collective Between 1979 and 19 um 84 and later became commander of special Branch additionally Steve saber
02:01:26 special Branch additionally Steve saber the secretary of the friends of Freedom press gave important live evidence this brief opening statement is limited to the SDS managers some of whom will be
02:01:37 the SDS managers some of whom will be giving evidence to during the tranch 2 Phase 2 hearings and other recently disclosed material we hope that the friends of Freedom press will also be allowed to make a closing statement at the end of crunch 2 when we've had
02:01:48 the end of crunch 2 when we've had sufficient time to consider and reflect on both the huge amount of documentation disclosed and the live evidence we will
02:02:03 disclosed and the live evidence we will have heard from former SDS officers who spied on anarchists and their managers we note in passing that several other former SDS officers will be giving evidence in secret hearings we reiterate our profound concern about these hearings and the Restriction orders that
02:02:15 hearings and the Restriction orders that seek to justify them suffice to say that the evidence given in closed session will remain hidden from public scrutiny perhaps forever to protect the pry of the officers and their families and the
02:02:30 the officers and their families and the Paramount interests of the British State turning then to the SDS managers their witness statements contain important information that call into question many SDS practices and suggest a unit with some officers being allowed to cross what should have been operational red
02:02:44 what should have been operational red lines sometimes the managers turned to Blind Eye while sometimes they sanctioned unconscionable Behavior it is clear with every new trano face of evidence that the position of the
02:02:59 evidence that the position of the Metropolitan Police Service and its ugly creation the SDS becomes more and more untenable and bolsters our assertion that the SDS did not serve any proper
02:03:11 that the SDS did not serve any proper policing purpose in line with their duty to preserve the Queen's peace as it was then the 10-year period under investigation in this tranch from 1983 to 1992 is of critical importance in this inquiry as an anarchist organization that dates back to the
02:03:23 organization that dates back to the 1880s Freedom has a long historical memory in 1979 with the election of a conservative government under Margaret thater the political direction of the
02:03:38 thater the political direction of the country changed the post-war consensus of a balance of social forces between organized labor and capital was abandoned in order for Capital to reassert itself as dominant over labor there had to be a showdown with the trade unions leading to their
02:03:51 trade unions leading to their emasculation and the eventual export of manuf facturing and industrial jobs to the global South alongside the struggles Against Racism and fascism this period was marked by the Titanic struggle
02:04:04 was marked by the Titanic struggle between the miners and the government in which the police played a key role as enforcers of government will the Metropolitan Police Service was a key player in the policing of strikes during which the gloves came off industrial
02:04:16 which the gloves came off industrial disputes were marked by great bitterness and violence police pay packets soared during the strikes the police were often referred to as Maggie Thatcher's boot boys and officers could count on a
02:04:28 boys and officers could count on a heightened degree of State protection regardless of any misconduct as an Elite Squad within the branch the SDS could count on their officers being protected even more than any others this led to a hardening of
02:04:40 any others this led to a hardening of attitude towards their targets one only has to reflect on the evidence heard so far and look at the nature of the reporting it changed during the 1980s
02:04:52 reporting it changed during the 1980s from a more oldfashioned objective style to one that mixed an intrusive pejorative Style with scarless fantasy Roger Pierce who spied on freedom was an Exemplar of this new style of reporting
02:05:06 Exemplar of this new style of reporting he set a tone which continued under Bob Lambert hn10 and John dy's hn5 SDS managers colluded as they all shared jokes at the expense of those on whom they spied this was reporting for
02:05:20 whom they spied this was reporting for the intelligence Community Echo chamber it was also often exaggerated and inaccurate in relation to the SDS managers in tranch 2 we make the following observations
02:05:34 following observations one good SDS officers do not think too much about what they are doing SDS managers set a tone that suppressed any independent thought not to the liking of special Branch Chris Hyde hn 61 says that the undercover
02:05:49 Hyde hn 61 says that the undercover officers were not encouraged to think about the policing purpose for which they were reporting information in other words the managers did not want their undercover officers to question what
02:06:00 undercover officers to question what they were being ordered to do namely pry into people's everyday lives and political beliefs the managers under the shadowy direction of MI5 created a culture whereby the supposed public
02:06:12 culture whereby the supposed public order policing purpose was secondary to the real purpose as a political police force spying and Gathering intelligence the managers ensured that arrests as a result of SDS intelligence were few and far between protecting the source was
02:06:27 far between protecting the source was far more important than anything else so just to be clear obviously this opening is much shorter than the written opening so um if you're following the written opening I'm I'm jumping back and forth I hope you understand why given the time
02:06:46 hope you understand why given the time I've been allerted of course I do and um please take your your own course thank you uh my second point is this SDS officers were overpaid and overvalued SDS managers colluded in allowing their undercover officers too much Independence Roger Pierce's Mantra was always defer to the officer in the
02:06:58 was always defer to the officer in the field this degree of autonomy spiraled out of control in the 1980s Chris Hyde states that some undercover undercover officers did not seem to want any greater oversight the problem was
02:07:14 greater oversight the problem was recognized at Commander level in 1988 after the deams attacks and the operation sparkler arrests Chris Hyde characterizes the job of an undercover officer has a very well-paid job with overtime and expenses while hn 109 an
02:07:31 overtime and expenses while hn 109 an anonymous Officer says that undercover officers regarded overtime as their entitlement it appears that few managers question the massive overtime claims put in every week these under undercover
02:07:42 in every week these under undercover officers were likely to have been the highest paid officers in the met at least for their rank if we recall all the fuss about overtime there came a time due to General budget cuts when it had to be limited to 125 hours a month
02:07:58 had to be limited to 125 hours a month this is still almost double pay before that there was no limit at all So Undercover officers could claim for all their time in the pub or even in bed with an activist supposedly Gathering
02:08:10 with an activist supposedly Gathering vital intelligence to protect the state for Queen and Country as Roger Pierce so crudely put it in his first novel it is unsurprising that undercover officers were very sensitive about their overtime claims and did not want
02:08:24 overtime claims and did not want investigated too closely the managers colluded in this for years three gilding the legend undercover officer involvement in crime
02:08:35 undercover officer involvement in crime arrests and trials During the trr period more SDS officers were arrested and ended up in court in their cover names John dyes was arrested three times while Bob Lambert was arrested four or five
02:08:49 Bob Lambert was arrested four or five times typically Lambert went further and even gave evidence in his cover name at the trial of an activist Lambert was literally creating his own Legend on the job knowing he would always be protected by senior officers although the arrests
02:09:03 by senior officers although the arrests appear to have been for relatively minor offenses it was inevitably a stepping stone to more serious criminal involvement by SDS officers the involvement in criminal offenses also gave the undercover officers the
02:09:14 gave the undercover officers the opportunity to discuss cases with other activists especially if there were a large number of arrests and to spy on defense lawyers none of the SDS men appear to regard the reporting on legal advice as a problem as it was often done
02:09:33 advice as a problem as it was often done in the context of speaking to supporters or small group of codefendants this was a convenient way of ignoring Legal Professional privilege and its protections four from unproductive officers to Fantasy reports for MI5
02:09:43 MI5 hn6 is an anonymous officer who was an undercover officer he infiltrated some anus groups in East London but by 198 1 was a detective inspector and SDS
02:09:57 was a detective inspector and SDS manager an MI5 briefing note states that in
02:10:06 in 1982 hn 68 told the MI5 desk officers that Tony Williams hn2 was being replaced as he had not been a particularly productive Source Tony Williams had been tasked to infiltrate the London workers Group which was a small Anarchist Discussion Group who
02:10:18 small Anarchist Discussion Group who produced a regular magazine they were typical of many such small political groups being no threat to the state or to public order and therein lay the problem what was the point of a police
02:10:31 problem what was the point of a police officer saying in effect that there was nothing to report it undermined the whole justification for spying the answer lay in more productive undercover officers like Roger Pierce who understood the game he knew he
02:10:43 understood the game he knew he occasionally had to sex up his reports both with lurid detail and a touch of fantasy that replaced the tastes of his managers his reporting style became the new DS template for the 1980s his reporting was so appreciated
02:10:57 1980s his reporting was so appreciated that he was allowed the rare privilege of face-to-face meetings in a Mayfair wine bar with a female MI5 desk officer
02:11:09 wine bar with a female MI5 desk officer who ran the anak's desk this was clearly being encouraged by the SDS managers at detective inspector level if not by those above yet the anonymous manager hn 109 a former undercover officer and
02:11:20 109 a former undercover officer and later detective inspector in SDS states that it was a near inviable rule in special branch that there should be no communication between MI5 and any SDS officer below the rank of detective inspector hn 109 adds that MI5 were
02:11:33 inspector hn 109 adds that MI5 were selective in who they debriefed and there was a certain cache in such direct contact it would appear that Roger Pierce was being groomed for bigger things detective Chief Inspector Tony W
02:11:50 things detective Chief Inspector Tony W hn 1115 says that MI5 received copies of virtually everything that SD s produced effectively MI5 was using SDS undercover officers as human intelligence sources whilst we have extracts of the SDS
02:12:02 whilst we have extracts of the SDS special branch and commissioner annual reports we do not have mi5's annual threat assessments did MI5 in fact agree with SDS or did they think SDS reporting was somewhat overblown We Believe MI5 put too much
02:12:15 overblown We Believe MI5 put too much store in SDS reports especially where their own coverage was lacking but they too were ultimately serving the same political Masters the conservative government of Margaret thater which was
02:12:26 government of Margaret thater which was determined to crush the so-called enemy
02:12:37 determined to crush the so-called enemy within this was the context in which MI5 and SDS were hand in glove during the 1980s within the manager's witness statements there's an interesting exchange between detective inspector David Carson hn 29 who says he found
02:12:48 David Carson hn 29 who says he found Stefan Scott hn 95 to be in his words a fantasist he had a quiet word with Detective chief inspector Tony W who said that as far as he was concerned being a fantasist was a good trait for
02:13:03 being a fantasist was a good trait for an undercover officer this attitude from a senior manager of SDS was we suspect um trickling down to the undercover officers this is what it meant to be a productive officer a fantasist who could sex up a report and turn loose talk into a plot this has been the story of
02:13:18 a plot this has been the story of intelligence agents throughout the ages to create plots to make themselves in dispens principal to get money for the information provided to become aan provocators and practice Liars while Roger Pierce was Adept at inserting the
02:13:39 Roger Pierce was Adept at inserting the occasional fantasy plot into his reports he did not in fact cross the line into AAR provocator activity as far as we know this came later with Bob Lambert five the Lambert D cabal where
02:13:54 Lambert five the Lambert D cabal where rules are made to be broken according to hn 109 Bob Lambert John dyes hn8 and another unnamed undercover officer formed a cabal within SDS Lambert and dines dominated proceedings and Safe House meetings and held themselves out as setting the standard to which other
02:14:06 as setting the standard to which other officers should Aspire it is clear that Lambert was the leader of this cabal and mentor to dones both infiltrated London Greenpeace one following the other it
02:14:17 Greenpeace one following the other it appears that Lambert was determined to push the boundaries of what it was to be a Ive officer Lambert's ultimate aim was to get close to the animal Liberation Front activists who were carrying out successful campaigns of against
02:14:31 successful campaigns of against vivisectionist and large companies making money from animal abuse Lambert appears to have been determined to get a commendation to this end according to Mike chitty hn11 Lambert became the leader of a small
02:14:46 Lambert became the leader of a small North London Alf cell and was the third man who planted an incendi incendiary device in one of three deham stores was attacked in 1987 it seems hard to believe as Eric
02:14:59 1987 it seems hard to believe as Eric Docker hn 39 suggests that Lambert could have been so effective in providing intelligence if he had only been on the periphery according to Eric Docker there was certainly a lot of secret
02:15:10 was certainly a lot of secret discussions between lber Lambert and SDS managers Lambert himself says that a special Branch surveillance team was shadowing him and other activists there is reference in Eric docker's witness statement to the det Ive superintendent
02:15:21 statement to the det Ive superintendent of C Squad Dave Short saying of Lambert the man's out of control you've lost him Mike chitty believed that around this time sdf's officers were given a free
02:15:33 time sdf's officers were given a free hand to go out and do what they wanted to do he explicitly states that Lambert crossed the line in order to get the Kudos the question for the inquiry is whether this is true and if so whether
02:15:44 whether this is true and if so whether this operation was sanctioned by SDS M managers or the higher echelons of the Metropolitan Police Service was Lambert a rogue officer or was he
02:15:56 was Lambert a rogue officer or was he playing a managed role of participating a je
02:15:57 a je provocateur hn 109 recalls that lamber Protege dines expressed the opinion that rules are made to be broken members of the Lambert D cabal had decided to cross
02:16:12 the Lambert D cabal had decided to cross any notional red lines to practice their dark arts on their victims safe in the knowledge that they could do so without any sanction from their managers Mike
02:16:24 any sanction from their managers Mike chy recalled that lamber and dines were very close and hn 109 states that with the arrests of two animal rights activists for the deams attacks SDS was riding High such that Lambert and dyes were regarded as the elite within the
02:16:39 were regarded as the elite within the squad hn 109 was nevertheless concerned his perception was that the cabal had informal Authority and a greater opportunity to set the tone than was proper consideration was even given to Lambert getting the Queen's police medal but perhaps this was a step too far for those in command did some senior
02:16:51 those in command did some senior officers have doubts it might come back to bite them eight a culture of impunity the importance of all this evidence at least from some of the more concerned
02:17:05 least from some of the more concerned managers and undercover officers is that the SDS under the Thatcher government was operating without any reasonable oversight or sanction Eric Docker admits to a lack of finite boundaries and that the SDS was very much left to run its
02:17:16 the SDS was very much left to run its own unit the undercover officers were also on firstname terms with the managers and very much autonomous this was a recipe for some unscrupulous
02:17:27 was a recipe for some unscrupulous officers to cross the already ver very Blurred Lines in which they were assisted by a lack of effective supervision overall they operated in a culture of impunity lamit and dines were the epitome of this that they were allowed to operate in such a fashion is
02:17:40 allowed to operate in such a fashion is a reflection of the police CL political climate excuse me of the time as Anarchist Freedom says that this is exactly where such state sponsored spying always ends up as AA provocator
02:17:52 spying always ends up as AA provocator activity which gets out of control or is allowed to do so or is carefully orchestrated with appropriate plausible deniability from the people in charge we note also that with respect to operation sparkler the prosecution of the two Al
02:18:06 sparkler the prosecution of the two Al activists was taken over by SO2 special Branch away from so so13 the anti-terrorist quad this appears abnormal as so so13 made the arrests but what were taken off the prosecution was special Branch trying to
02:18:20 prosecution was special Branch trying to do a little more than simply protect the identity of their agent were they ensuring that certain lines of inquiry were not pursued that might compromise Bob Lambert Eric doer denies that this happened he was promoted to detective
02:18:32 happened he was promoted to detective Chief Inspector of SDS in October 1987 the month after the arrests he was the detective Chief Inspector who wrote up the Commendation report for Bob Lambert such was the hubris of some former SDS
02:18:49 such was the hubris of some former SDS officers like Roger Pierce that in 2002 they were even happy to cooperate with journalist Peter Taylor in the BBC in the three-part documentary true spies Pierce encouraged former SDS officers to take part convinced that the message
02:19:00 take part convinced that the message would be enormously to the credit of those who served in special branch in the last four decades the lack of insight is stunning however other officers such as Eric Docker viewed it
02:19:13 officers such as Eric Docker viewed it as a great betrayal of the unit as this secret operation was always meant to remain such by 1989 it was recognized that subversive groups represented a very very low threat to parliamentary democracy the Security Service Act was
02:19:24 democracy the Security Service Act was passed and Mi MI5 came slightly out of the shadows as its activity was put on a shadow statutory footing for the first
02:19:35 shadow statutory footing for the first time by 1992 there had been a change of focus and approach to what MI5 called domestic extremism this is addressed in the corporate witness statement of witness y deputy director of MI5 and in the witness statements of some former undercover officers and SDS managers
02:19:48 undercover officers and SDS managers with the political demise of Margaret Thatcher following the hugely successful anti-le tax campaign MI5 had to do a full rethink it was obvious that there was little if any threat to the state
02:20:01 was little if any threat to the state from the Myriad groups being spied on the public had also become aware of various scandals during the 1980s when MI5 officers went public and reported to a limited extent in some of what had
02:20:12 a limited extent in some of what had been happening such as spying on peace activists there had also been some scrutiny by the Home Affairs select committee into the activities of special
02:20:24 committee into the activities of special Branch nevertheless the exist of SDS was concealed by MI5 the home office the Metropolitan Police Service and the association of chief police officers the new conservative government under John Major tossed MI5 to take over the intelligence war against Irish Republicans taking this role away from
02:20:38 Republicans taking this role away from special Branch for the very first time since its formation in 1883 as a result MI5 told special branch that they no longer leaded all the
02:20:51 that they no longer leaded all the needed all the product of SDS supplied via C Squad this was the exact moment when the senior officers of the Metropolitan Police Service in special Branch as well as their political Masters in the home office should have had a rethink and disbanded the SDS but the MPS and special BRS doubled down
02:21:05 the MPS and special BRS doubled down seeing it as an opportunity to in fact expand their domestic surveillance operations as we will see in tranches three and four while Bob Lambert became detective Chief Inspector Andy Cole's hn2 wrote the trade C man trade crof
02:21:20 hn2 wrote the trade C man trade crof manual and certain practices now became standard operating procedure for instance he took the Roger Pierce Mantra and enshrined it in the manual managements that support the field officers appraisal of the situation this may seem surprising for such a
02:21:36 may seem surprising for such a hierarchical organization as the Met to defer to its Junior ranks but that was the new culture of SDS thus the very officers who were the most responsible for the worst excesses of the SDS Lambert dines and Kohl's now became the managers we look forward to some
02:21:50 managers we look forward to some searching questions in conclusion being asked of the tranch 2 managers sir especially those who were meant to be supervising the lamber dines cabal whether SDS activity was simply imoral or also criminal remains to be fully
02:22:06 or also criminal remains to be fully explored on behalf of Freedom we suggest that there is now more than sufficient evidence from witness and docu from Witnesses and documents for you sir to conclude that it was both thank you and I'm sorry that I went slightly over my allotted time not at all and I'm very
02:22:19 allotted time not at all and I'm very glad that you were able to complete your uh submission without Interruption electronic Interruption thank you very much thank you Mr
02:22:30 you Mr Morris thank you uh do you have a copy
02:22:42 Morris thank you uh do you have a copy of my presentation um I've got a copy of the liel support campaign uh document oral summary shorter version
02:22:47 version um no maybe you haven't I don't think I do I I've got a you'll have to just bear in mind then that um I've um you know re reorganized it and cut it dramatically that's
02:23:00 it and cut it dramatically that's perfectly all right I know I'm going to be provided with a copy of that but I will I
02:23:04 will I sent you have indeed I acknowledge that I will listen to what you have to say but and read it later at leisure thank you so I speak on behalf of the Mel support campaign with the support of Helen steel we are lifelong Community
02:23:18 Helen steel we are lifelong Community activists doing our best to stand up for a better future for our society and planet we were the two codefendants in the McDonald's versus steel and Morris Lial case it was the longest trial of
02:23:33 Lial case it was the longest trial of any kind in English legal history denied legal aid we had to represent ourselves
02:23:46 legal aid we had to represent ourselves throughout a young Barrister here starma now sir Kier offered to provide us with free legal aid he did so behind the scenes for 10 years the what's wrong with McDon Donald's leaflets which McDonald's were trying to suppress became possibly the
02:23:58 trying to suppress became possibly the most well-known and widely distributed leaflets in history the SDS shockingly infiltrated the campaign and secretly collaborated with McDonald's before and during the case this was a serious miscarriage of
02:24:11 case this was a serious miscarriage of Justice Helen should be presenting her own opening statement today but has been unable due to unfair inquiry procedures and chronic delays in supplying completed witness packs to non-state cor
02:24:27 completed witness packs to non-state cor participants this was too late for Helen to be able to read and respond properly to the 12,000 pages of disclosure to her much of which related to her traumatic
02:24:42 much of which related to her traumatic relationship with SDS officer John dyes as a result her witness statement has only just been served and it only addresses some of the evidence she needs to give she aims to draft a further statement
02:24:53 statement hence she has been effectively prevented from helping to draft this opening statement or doing her own one the Home Secretary evet Cooper seems to have had a similar problem the home office
02:25:04 a similar problem the home office stating yesterday that quote due to the date on which the evidential bundle was received it is not possible to address the substance of tranch 2 Phase
02:25:23 the substance of tranch 2 Phase 2 however the home office did add quote the Home Secretary is appalled by the historical allegations under consideration by this inquiry the police themselves admitted
02:25:35 inquiry the police themselves admitted last year that quote by modern standards the SS's deployments in the tranch one period are unjustifiable the inquiry interim report in June 2023 concluded quote the question is whether or not the end
02:25:49 question is whether or not the end Justified the means for a unit of a police force it did not had the use of these means been publicly known at the time the 1970s the SDS would have been brought to a rapid
02:25:59 a rapid end such unjustifiable deployments continued in fact in secret for decades and the unacceptable tactics employed got a whole lot
02:26:13 got a whole lot worse the Met has been found by other inquiries and reports to be institutionally racist sexist and corrupt and has remained under special measures since July
02:26:26 measures since July 2022 these shocking and damning failures clearly go back decades the police made some significant public apologies in June this year for
02:26:39 public apologies in June this year for the SDS officers unacceptable targeting of women for sexual relationships for the unacceptable targeting of anti-racism and Family Justice campaigns and for the unacceptable abject management of the SDS yes yesterday the police took
02:26:55 SDS yes yesterday the police took corporate responsibility for quote a culture of impunity around the SDS further apologizing for the use of the identities of deceased children for the
02:27:10 identities of deceased children for the SDS misleading courts and for employing inappropriate language language when referring to those targeted London Greenpeace and the Mel support campaign were small campaigning groups raising issues of widespread
02:27:24 groups raising issues of widespread public concern and trying to create a better Society for everyone London Greenpeace was the first Green Peace group in Europe set up in the early
02:27:35 the early 1970s the group did all the usual things any campaign group would do its activities were open and didn't include any clandestine direct action for at
02:27:51 any clandestine direct action for at least seven years the trust and privacy of those involved in the group and its integrity was ser serously abused by long-term infiltration by SDS spies police spy Robert Lambert was a
02:28:02 spies police spy Robert Lambert was a prominent and influential activist in London Greenpeace which he publicly summed up in 2011 as quote a peaceful campaigning group he engineered sexual relationships with four women and fathered a
02:28:14 with four women and fathered a child strongly promoted and facilitated animal rights direct action and acted as as an aant provocator the evidence will show he placed an incend device in a deam
02:28:34 placed an incend device in a deam store in his secret reports he lied and lied about the supposed activities of other people including Helen the next police spy John dyes helped produce and distribute leaflets
02:28:46 helped produce and distribute leaflets organized events and protests and became the group's Treasurer he cynically engineered a 2year sexual relationship with Helen Steel in which they lived
02:28:57 with Helen Steel in which they lived together he admitted this was purely to maintain cover and obtain
02:29:08 maintain cover and obtain intelligence he has shown No Remorse the council to the inquiry summed this up yesterday as quote cold calculating emotional and sexual
02:29:18 exploitation in dy's reports he lied and lied about the supposed activities of other people including hel these are the shocking and indisputable facts in
02:29:27 facts in 1986 Lambert helped to create and distribute the group's what's wrong with McDonald's six-page fact sheet the subject of the liable action in
02:29:38 subject of the liable action in 2011 he publicly admitted quote I was certainly a contributing author to the Mel leaflet leaflet the fact sheet F focused on
02:29:52 leaflet the fact sheet F focused on nutrition and diet unethical advertising to children exploitation of workers cruel factory farming environmental damage and Global
02:30:08 damage and Global poverty and this is a copy of the fact sheet here six page back sheet
02:30:11 sheet um three million copies of a a shorter version which I have here as well this is the shorter version also called what's wrong with
02:30:22 what's wrong with McDonald's um three million copies of that were handed out in the UK during the Mel trial and countless more distributed throughout the world it was a global
02:30:34 world it was a global campaign during 1989 to 1991 the group was infiltrated by at least six McDonald spies in 1991 John dyes admitted to
02:30:46 spies in 1991 John dyes admitted to senior police officers that he knew all about those spies he said quote some of their agents were too old too heavy
02:30:57 their agents were too old too heavy others were in too much of a hurry all were politically unaware four or five people employees of a private detective agency tried to infiltrate London
02:31:08 agency tried to infiltrate London Greenpeace but only the last one a girl got close
02:31:13 got close unquote that so-called girl was an ex police officer and had a fraudulent six-month sexual relationship with one of the group
02:31:31 of the group dines has recently admitted that the SDS and McDonald's were aware of each other's infiltration he actively facilitated McDonald's agents access in September
02:31:42 access in September 1990 McDonald served liable rits on five people in the group Helen received her RIT as she stepped from dy's vanan outside his bedset following brief legal advice on the expense and unfairness of Lial laws and proceedings three of the five felt they had no option but to pull
02:31:55 option but to pull out the case ran from 1990 to 2005 just want to hold up here a
02:32:06 2005 just want to hold up here a photograph of Helen and I outside the high high
02:32:10 high high court pretty much our home for about three
02:32:16 three years um we represented ourselves at 28 pre-trial legal hearings a 13 3113 day trial and a full 23-day
02:32:32 3113 day trial and a full 23-day appeal we finally got legal aid to take the British government to the European Court of Human Rights where we were formerly represented by KIA starma London Greenpeace eventually had
02:32:44 starma London Greenpeace eventually had to put its work on hold as activists had had to devote their time to the mcable case the Mel support campaign was a typical and highly successful legal and political iCal defense Campaign which did publicity fundraising and so
02:33:00 did publicity fundraising and so on in the first 18 months dines was exploiting Helen while they lived together by getting details of our confidential legal strategy following the private meetings we held with Ki
02:33:15 the private meetings we held with Ki starma as D says quote it is accurate to say that I was by the side of Helen steel and Dave Morris in 19 991 and relaying the legal advice back to my bosses in the
02:33:26 bosses in the SDS just before the mlal rits were served D reported that the leaflet quote is causing much concern within the
02:33:39 is causing much concern within the Corporation quote arrangements are in hand to monitor events arising from these legal proceedings unquote he then reports on on the first confidential conversation of those served with the
02:33:53 conversation of those served with the rits and then about our private meeting with solicitor Tim Green 3 Days Later his report attacked the personal and professional Integrity
02:34:07 the personal and professional Integrity of Tim Green who is now a Circuit Judge and refers to his contacts with Kia starma more reports followed the SDS will clearly secretly communicate communicating back to McDonald's providing them with an
02:34:19 McDonald's providing them with an advantage on whether or how to pursue you the controversial litigation but it gets even more shocking in June 1990 one of the McDonald spies and a
02:34:40 1990 one of the McDonald spies and a special Branch officer had held two long meetings sharing personal and private information about people in London Greenpeace termed quote the anti- McDonald's group Sid
02:34:49 group Sid Nicholson McDonald's vice president was a metrop poan police chief superintendent for brickton area until he joined McDonald's in
02:35:02 he joined McDonald's in 1983 he took personal responsibility for hiring and overseeing the McDonald's spying
02:35:03 spying operation he testified during the Mel
02:35:16 operation he testified during the Mel trial that McDonald's security Personnel were quote all ex police and that if he needed information on protesters he could go to former colleagues Terry Carroll also a senior officer in Brixton police until
02:35:31 Brixton police until 1984 was brought in by Nicholson to become a McDonald's security manager in 2013 he admitted quote I was aware that Sid would Lia with special Branch officers about the
02:35:46 officers about the protesters I do recall that Sid once said there was an S an SB bloke in London Greenpeace
02:35:53 in October 1989 he and a special Branch officer were photographed at McDonald's headquarters watching those attending a London Green Peace peaceful protest
02:36:05 London Green Peace peaceful protest outside Dian and a McDonald spy were taking part in the protest Carol sent a memo to Nicholson a week after the service of the M Lial writs on which he had written quote I
02:36:19 writs on which he had written quote I will get on to special Branch to get an assessment
02:36:24 as Helen notes in her statement Lambert was a c Squad officer with special responsibility for the Brixton area During the period Sid Nicholson was in charge of brick Brixton
02:36:37 charge of brick Brixton police it is highly likely they knew each
02:36:45 each other and the father of SDS Officer Jim boing was also a senior police officer in Brixton in the early 1980s we called on the inquiry to investigate the web of secret corporate police collaboration and and sub
02:36:56 police collaboration and and sub subterfuge and Lambert's likely leading role however this can of worms gets even worse McDonald's intended to sue
02:37:10 worse McDonald's intended to sue everyone in the anti-mcdonald's campaign in
02:37:15 in 1990 which obviously would have included John
02:37:16 John dyes in the 1997 liable judgment Justice
02:37:29 dyes in the 1997 liable judgment Justice Bell stated that Nicholson had testified that McDonald's would have to sue quote as many people as possible of the responsible individuals within Greenpeace London since action against only some of them might leave others feeling free to continue publication
02:37:41 feeling free to continue publication unquote the year before the service of
02:37:52 unquote the year before the service of the RIT while McDonald's agents were um infil ating and Gathering intelligence and who was involved with the campaign D attended 18 meetings and I attended only eight he was more heavily in the McDonald's campaign than Helen
02:38:09 in the McDonald's campaign than Helen while significantly and ironically as it turned out I was calling for the group to move on from the McDonald's campaigning yet D wasn't sued by McDonald's and we
02:38:22 McDonald's and we were later in 200 2 a police file note revealed the following explosive explosive information the SDS had ensured that dian's name quote was deliberately omitted from the McDonald's liable RIT
02:38:40 liable RIT list this is blatant interference with and manipulation of the legal process from late 1991 Dy cynically faked a mental breakdown and finally disappeared in
02:38:53 breakdown and finally disappeared in 1992 falsely claiming to his partner Helen that he'd gone abroad this caused her great heartache and Trauma and she spent many years trying to trace trace
02:39:12 trying to trace trace him by 1995 Lambert now promoted to SDS manager reported he was very concerned that Helen might find out the truth about her ex partner if so quote they that is myself Helen and K
02:39:25 that is myself Helen and K sta would give serious consideration to sub pening Don johnes and or the commissioner to give evidence at the McDonald's liel
02:39:36 case in 1998 Helen and I successfully sued the police over what little we knew at the time the special Branch providing private details about us to
02:39:52 private details about us to McDonald's we apply for disclosure of all relevant documents and were told there were only two dozen this was lies the inquiry disclosure proves that hundreds should have been released to us in 2000 the Met agreed to pass 10,000
02:40:06 in 2000 the Met agreed to pass 10,000 plus our legal costs in order to avoid what they called quote a difficult and lengthy trial unquote and most significantly quote to bring this
02:40:18 significantly quote to bring this settlement to the attention of the three area commanders of the Metropolitan Police and asked them to remind their
02:40:29 Police and asked them to remind their officers of their responsibility not to disclose information on the police national computer to a third party we now can see that the reference to the police national computer was a
02:40:42 to the police national computer was a weasel worded smoke screen to conceal the SDS
02:40:44 the SDS operations had the true picture been known we may well have not not have set led the claim we call on the inquiry to fully investigate this cover up in
02:41:00 up in 1997 the high court and then the court of
02:41:06 of appeal finally ruled that McDonald's quote exploited children with their advertising produced misleading advertising claiming their food was
02:41:17 advertising claiming their food was nutritious that their regular customers fa an increased risk of heart disease that McDonald's were quote cult ably responsible for for cruelty to animals and helped to lower wages in the catering
02:41:26 catering industry the Judgment also set out
02:41:39 industry the Judgment also set out McDonald's responsibility for industrial scale breaches of employment and animal wealthfare laws in the 1980s and 1990s why weren't McDonald's prosecuted why hadn't the SDS been deployed against McDonald's rather than their critics
02:41:50 their critics in 2005 the European Court of Human Rights ruled in our favor that against
02:42:02 Rights ruled in our favor that against the British government that the you the Mel case had violated our right to a fair hearing and freedom of expression the UK government opposed us there whilst concealing the outrageous State involvement in the
02:42:22 State involvement in the case looking back was the purpose of the SDS and McDonald's collaboration over the Mel case to derail and possibly destroy London Greenpeace it certainly had real consequences not only Helen and myself
02:42:35 consequences not only Helen and myself but also K starma had to put in years of unpaid and intense work to help defend the
02:42:36 the action Helen and I had £60,000 damages awarded against us due to the points we lost in the case which we refused to
02:42:47 lost in the case which we refused to pay for Helen the stress of fighting the case was magnified by the trauma of dy's fake breakdown her concern and her
02:43:02 fake breakdown her concern and her efforts to trace him she then had to deal with the additional trauma of gradually uncovering the shocking truth my stress doesn't compare with what she was put through but it did have a big impact on my life as a single
02:43:13 a big impact on my life as a single parent London Greenpeace never fully recovered afterwards and its activities gradually fizzled out it is shocking that the longest case
02:43:26 out it is shocking that the longest case in English History was tainted by police interference showing their utter disregard for the Integrity of legal proceedings we are happy to assist the inquiry further regarding this miscarriage of Justice it is essential that people
02:43:39 Justice it is essential that people everywhere are encouraged to challenge unacceptable government and capitalist policies and practices harming society and to seek to create a better
02:43:57 society and to seek to create a better Society unfortunately to do this we also have to challenge oppressive laws and policing protests and movements for change also enable people to educate and Empower ourselves and each other promote Collective self-organization Mutual Aid and
02:44:12 self-organization Mutual Aid and Community solidarity and show there are alternative and better ways of living and running our society together this is democracy in action thank you thank you very much
02:44:28 action thank you thank you very much indeed um Mr Weatherby Kings Council next uh for um uh the hunt sabotage Association thank you very much sir yes
02:44:41 Association thank you very much sir yes I've uh provided a speaking note mainly for the St stenographers um assistance but I don't know whether it's got through to you if it hasn't it may be used to you later that's the position the stenographers are very grateful to you for providing the speaking note
02:44:52 you for providing the speaking note thank you um impraise of hunting was a symposium published in 1960 and Reginal padet then a labor MP and subsequently Lord padet wrote The Following and I
02:45:07 Lord padet wrote The Following and I quote pain and suffering is inflicted on animals in the course of sport nobody who has seen a beaten Fox dragging his stiff limbs into the ditch in which he knows he will die can doubt this
02:45:18 knows he will die can doubt this proposition ition unquote Lord padet was
02:45:29 proposition ition unquote Lord padet was certainly qualified to express that view as he was to become the master of the pitchly hunt three years later after those words were published no doubt mindful of the sentiments of those who equate cruelty to animals with sport the hunt sabur Association was established
02:45:40 hunt sabur Association was established in a moment I'll set out the context of the HSA the violence it faced from hunt supporters attempts to criminalize its
02:45:51 supporters attempts to criminalize its activities and hostile policing and then move on to deal with the undercover policing deployed against or impacting on the HSA and individual hun saurs but before I do that I make clear that the
02:46:06 before I do that I make clear that the HSA asserts that there was no legitimate justification whatsoever but undercover policing targeting it as an organization or its supporters or its activities or their families or their homes
02:46:28 or their private and sexual lives all of these things happened it's the position of the HSA that undercover policing interfered with the fundamental constitutional and Convention rights of HSA supporters relating to freedoms to organize assemble and act and as well as their personal rights as autonomous
02:46:41 their personal rights as autonomous individuals in addition the evidence disclosed so far indicates that undercover officers interfered with the rights of those arrested and gave evidence in Criminal trials in their undercover identities and personas an
02:46:56 undercover identities and personas an obvious and egregious violation of basic legal rights which has already been touched upon by CTA CTI uh and others already with a casual indifference undercover officer hn2 Andy Kohl's was
02:47:15 undercover officer hn2 Andy Kohl's was to write in his post- deployment debrief and I quote misleading a court is something done by criminals and government ministers alone like we shouldn't be squeamish about the ends justifying the means in our own case unquote it'll be a matter for the
02:47:27 unquote it'll be a matter for the inquiry but we take a different view misleading criminal courts in such a way is an affront to the rule of law it was an abusive process it led to
02:47:39 an abusive process it led to miscarriages of justice that managers knew and consented to these abuses of the processes of justice is clear from the documentation indeed arrests and prosecutions of undercover officers
02:47:51 prosecutions of undercover officers themselves was celebrated as enhancing their Legend if ever this inquiry needed evidence that the SDS was allowed to
02:48:03 evidence that the SDS was allowed to operate Beyond any normal lawful limits this is it it had not just gone Rogue the violations were not just the product of a few rotten officers it was a political policing unit to which normal
02:48:14 political policing unit to which normal lawful limits were simply not recognized or applied the violations were not minor or academic and they had left they have left long-term trauma and hurt and no
02:48:26 left long-term trauma and hurt and no doubt a chilling effect on legitimate activities the next generation will be left wondering whether those next to them are whom they say they are so the
02:48:43 them are whom they say they are so the Hun sabotage Association was formed and still exists to prevent the killing of animals in blood Sports its core activities were and are to take nonviolent direct action to prevent such
02:48:59 nonviolent direct action to prevent such cruelty and to Lobby government to enact laws to criminalize and stop activities such as fox hunting and hair cing some supporters report illegal hunting to police and provide evidence for prosecutions there's nothing inherently unlawful about those core activities according to multiple opinion polls the
02:49:12 according to multiple opinion polls the majority of the public has been against blood Sports and increasingly so throughout the whole history of the HSA after a number of failed attempts to
02:49:27 HSA after a number of failed attempts to pass laws prohibiting hunting Parliament eventually passed the hunting act 2004 although this represented a major headline victory for the HSA and cemented its position on the right side of History the legislation has proved
02:49:38 of History the legislation has proved weak and has not been properly enforced the HSA has pressed for amendments to ban Trail hunting and impose a standard of recklessness rather than intent to make the ban effective the current
02:49:50 make the ban effective the current government has promised to make changes although disappointingly without time scale or Clarity the HSA is a National Association with Democratic structures whereas it takes part in
02:50:02 structures whereas it takes part in National lobbying its activities against hunts are invariably through its local groups which are open to all who share its Vision the policy of the HSA has always been nonviolence this is both a moral and a
02:50:14 nonviolence this is both a moral and a practical Choice many would think it's something of a contradiction to seek to prevent cruelty to animals via violence to humans in Practical terms the methodology of making a fox hunt
02:50:29 methodology of making a fox hunt ineffective is not through confrontation or violence indeed those are a distraction hunt sabur lay false scent blow hunting horns to draw hounds away
02:50:44 blow hunting horns to draw hounds away from the pursuit and make noise and use whistles to cause wild animals to seek safety in advance of their pursuers the coroller of this is that it has often been the aim of Hunt's
02:50:55 has often been the aim of Hunt's supporters to deter and intimidate sabur through violence often organized violence perpetrated by hired thugs this is an important point and we've addressed it at some length in writing providing numerous references to the
02:51:10 providing numerous references to the evidence and contemporaneous reports it's not
02:51:11 it's not anecdotal apart from the deaths of two hunt sabots in involving Vehicles driven by members of The Hunt there have been numerous serious incidents of violence resulting in
02:51:25 incidents of violence resulting in convictions against hunt supporters and Hunt sabot sustaining serious injuries requiring hospital treatment including a suspected fractured skull broken Limbs and Trauma injuries from weapons by way
02:51:40 and Trauma injuries from weapons by way of example in 1986 a hunt supporter was convicted of firearms offenses and assault having discharged a shotgun into the grill of a mini buus full of hunt sabs during the 889 season a group of
02:52:00 sabs during the 889 season a group of hunt sabs were attacked in their van by hunt supporters with weapons resulting in the hospitalization of several of them and substantial damage to the vehicle some of this violence was witnessed by undercover officers indeed their managers referring contemporaneous documentation to the risk of officers
02:52:14 documentation to the risk of officers being injured by hunt supporters a 1988 police report by hn 87 John lipsum refers to sabar being lured through a remote Railway Arch away from uniformed police where supporters of the Sur and
02:52:32 police where supporters of the Sur and burto Hunt ambushed them causing serious injuries including broken limbs of particular note there was little subtlety in the campaigns by hunt supporters against hunt sabot and the threats were in plain
02:52:46 sight the 923 season is remembered by hun sabs as particularly violent it followed a campaign by the British Field Sports Society to encourage hunts to use so-called stewards to deter
02:52:57 to use so-called stewards to deter sabur on the face of it this seems unremarkable until one looks at the words of the bfss spokesperson at the
02:53:09 words of the bfss spokesperson at the time one Nick Herbert who was quoted in the mainstream media as saying and I quote from now on we are going to start hunting the sabur this did not lead much to the imagination
02:53:24 imagination the experience of the HSA was that the private security firms did just that providing paid Thugs who did indeed
02:53:38 providing paid Thugs who did indeed start hunting the sabur Mr Herbert went on to become an MP and then a policing Minister between 2010 and 2012 during which time he defended undercover officers having sex with people Associated to their deployments he is now Lord Herbert and the chair of the College of policing which of course is
02:53:52 College of policing which of course is respons responsible for the authorized professional practice for undercover officers he remains an outspoken supporter of hunting so concerned with the HSA about the use of paid Heavies against them that they collated the
02:54:06 against them that they collated the various experiences of violence directed at Hunt sabot and submitted a written report entitled public order private armies security guards at British hunts to the home Affairs select committee which was at that time investigating the
02:54:17 which was at that time investigating the use of private security firms this is an important point substantively because if the hunt sabots were generally the target of violence then that undermines any rational argument in events of
02:54:32 any rational argument in events of undercover policing of the HSA or hunt sabbin activities based on what they were about or their activities and in terms of the process of deployments uh the disclosed evidence suggests that the undercover officers
02:54:46 suggests that the undercover officers themselves were well aware of this fact they witnessed the violent attacks on Hunt subs and on occasion reported on where the real threat lay Matt rer hm1
02:54:58 where the real threat lay Matt rer hm1 notes in his witness statement that when Hunt's security guards were present and I quote violence might be expected if
02:55:11 I quote violence might be expected if they were not and I quote it was likely just to be a noisy protest a police report from 1993 agreed quote the deciding factor in Hunt sabotage confrontation is the presence or otherwise of organized hunt stewards and and their
02:55:23 and their supporters Andy Kohl's hn2 stated and I quote I feared serious assault from teram men or being shot at by irate Farmers more than anything else during my tour he also noted the contempt held
02:55:34 my tour he also noted the contempt held by uniformed offices for hunt sabur and their quote occasional violent reaction unquote to them from the evidence that hunt sabs were generally the target of
02:55:50 hunt sabs were generally the target of violence what about general public order as I've set out the regular activities of hunt sabs involved local groups of perhaps 10 or 20 people attending a hunt and attempting to prevent the pursuit and killing of a fox over the years
02:56:01 and killing of a fox over the years there have certainly been massive ents but these were occasional and generally in response to particular incidents of Violence by hunt supporters these Mass actions were designed to show hunts that
02:56:21 actions were designed to show hunts that sabots would not be deterred by violence the idea was that by attending in large numbers Not only would that day's hunt be prevented but violence against hunt sabs would be precluded by the show of
02:56:32 sabs would be precluded by the show of strength although over the years there undoubtedly have been many arrests of hunt sabs for public order offenses there is little evidence of widespread
02:56:43 there is little evidence of widespread or major public order problems the SDS appears to have agreed and disagreed with that
02:56:47 with that proposition some documents refer to public order concern but in an SDS report from 1989 the following quote from a public order point of view the threat of violence these days comes more from supporters of
02:57:06 these days comes more from supporters of the hunt rather than than from the 20 to 30 sabur in fact it's been as a result of this violence towards sabur that there now exists a form of tolerant alliance between police and sabot at least on Hunt days if the HSA and Hunt
02:57:25 least on Hunt days if the HSA and Hunt sabots were engaged in lawful nonviolent act action to prevent cruelty they were the subject not the perpetrators of violence and they were not causing significant public order issues as key SDS documentation suggests and these
02:57:38 SDS documentation suggests and these matters could not be a proper basis for the undercover deployment the proper approach to policing hunts and the activities of those who opposed them was and remains twofold on the one hand to enforce laws including now the hunting
02:57:50 enforce laws including now the hunting act properly investigate and prosecute Violence by Hunt's supporters and engage in conventional policing of events to keep the peace in a balanced way and on the other hand to recognize and protect
02:58:02 the other hand to recognize and protect the Constitutional and Convention rights to free speech to assembly to protest to oppose acts such as cruelty to animals pursuing wild animals with dogs May well
02:58:20 pursuing wild animals with dogs May well not have been unlawful During the period under consideration but neither NE was disrupting that cruel pursuit in the ways
02:58:24 ways described institutional bias political policing meant that confrontation violence and disorder was presumed to be the product of the hunt sabs whatever the facts in spite of the facts and
02:58:36 the facts in spite of the facts and constitutional rights were negated by that very presumption this politicized bias opened the way for the deployment
02:58:47 bias opened the way for the deployment in parallel successive governments and the 198 80s and '90s attempted to criminalize unts saing by widely drafted disorderly conduct offenses and by criminalizing trespass instead of
02:59:00 criminalizing trespass instead of banning hunting government presumed the hunt sabs were the bad guys this entrenched and facilitated political policing against hunt sabot the reality was that those associated with hunting had greater access to the corridors of
02:59:15 had greater access to the corridors of power than those who opposed hunting the police saw the HSA and Saabs as protesters to be watched and contained in doing so punt Saabs were othered treated as beyond the boundaries of
02:59:33 treated as beyond the boundaries of acceptable discourse as a problem not as citizens equal before the law with the respects to the deployments we posed four key areas of questions we urge the inquiry to focus on paragraph 1.4 of our written submissions they're all very
02:59:49 written submissions they're all very obvious the starting point is that any such deployments should have been subject to precise justification secondly any justification should have been based on a rigorous process based on evidence properly recorded and regularly reviewed and
03:00:02 recorded and regularly reviewed and supervised at a high level from the evidence we have none of this appears to have occurred indeed with respect to the HSA it remains unclear whether it was
03:00:16 HSA it remains unclear whether it was seen as a Target organization or whether some of its branches or supporter were of Interest or whether there was a more speculative approach of inserting undercover officers into a m of
03:00:28 undercover officers into a m of activists and groups thirdly if there were any clear justifications what proportionality exercises were conducted and reviewed were legitimate aims identified at all is there evidence of any significant
03:00:41 is there evidence of any significant useful in intelligence obtained at the time fourthly if there was any justification what were the instructions to you uos regarding the HSA its supporters and Hunt Sab activities and
03:00:57 supporters and Hunt Sab activities and what was their training what were their limitations not only generally but on those Target activities if public order was not a table justification for the deployments remaining area appears to have been to use the HSA and Hunt sub subbing
03:01:08 use the HSA and Hunt sub subbing activities and those involved as an access point to get to those engaged in other animal rights activities what
03:01:24 other animal rights activities what might be termed the Alf excuse I get this from the 956 SDS annual report which gives us a Clarity which was previously lacking and I quote the emphasis that penetration of fun sabotage groups is a means to an end
03:01:37 sabotage groups is a means to an end rather than an end in itself in terms of SDS operations remains valid If this means to an end infiltration was justifiable in principle and I make clear we firmly
03:01:48 principle and I make clear we firmly refute that it was if this was the real purpose of the relevant undercover deployments and how did it work and what evidence is there the SDS annual report for the previous year was equally
03:02:02 for the previous year was equally instructive and I quote the AL is not an organization per se but rather a descriptive term for animal rights activists who choose to embark on criminal acts and I quote again the business end of the ALF is its cells
03:02:14 business end of the ALF is its cells often made up of three or four members but sometimes consisting of just one or two activists
03:02:26 two activists unquote at its highest therefore from the SS's own mouthpiece it seems the height of their justification for infiltrating the HSA was a speculative attempt to identify people who might engage in other activities I don't represent or address you on the ALF
03:02:42 represent or address you on the ALF you've heard of a handful of serious criminal acts said to have been committed under that Banner as far as we and stand the position most so-called
03:02:53 and stand the position most so-called Alf activity involved low-level criminal damage caused when rescuing animals or damage perhaps to butcher shops so there are clear issues of proportionality even
03:03:10 are clear issues of proportionality even if the Baseline means to an end argument were to be accepted that there is the further important issue here we know from the witness statements of some undercover officers that they played an active organizational role in Hunt activities both in terms of encouraging
03:03:26 activities both in terms of encouraging participation and facilitating Presence by providing transport that's the evidence of many witnesses as unsbo activities were lawful there's little inherent problem with that however there's also the evidence from hn2
03:03:41 there's also the evidence from hn2 Andrew koh's that quote without getting your hands dirty your chance of correctly identifying an Alf activist is very low
03:03:48 very low unquote there are a number of witness witnesses as you've heard from others who will state that not only did Undercover officers take part in the serious criminal activities attributed
03:04:02 serious criminal activities attributed to their left but they also encouraged or organized them it's against this canvas uh of lawful nonviolent action to prevent cruelty the actual knowledge of the officers involved that hunt Sabers
03:04:16 the officers involved that hunt Sabers with the target of violence rather than the perpetrator perpetrators the fact that the SDS organizationally appears to accept the
03:04:28 organizationally appears to accept the HSA and Hunt activities were a cruising ground rather than a legitimate Target for infiltration that the inquiry should look at the actions of undercover officers with respect to hunt savitur groups and the
03:04:42 groups and the HSA firstly you've heard a lot about the those deceived inter sexual Liaisons with undercover officers a number of those deceived and violated personally were unsbo as the inquiry has already
03:04:55 were unsbo as the inquiry has already accepted there could be no justification for this because the individuals involved are separately represented and will give their own accounts I'll not address you further on this issue save to repeat what has been said so
03:05:10 to repeat what has been said so powerfully by others that this was abuse committed by multiple officers not one or two bad apples it was institutional misogyny secondly you'll hear from Witnesses who were befriended by
03:05:22 Witnesses who were befriended by undercover officers they not only went to festivals and abroad with them but they welcomed them into their own homes and families and introduce them to friends unaware of their true identities thirdly as I've just address
03:05:34 identities thirdly as I've just address undercover officers appear to have been the creators or encouragers of at least some of the sorts of actions that they now say they were looking to discover fourthly the institutional bias
03:05:46 fourthly the institutional bias exhibited by the police towards hunt Saabs often led to unlawful arrests and detentions many such detentions did not result in charges and not infrequently
03:06:00 result in charges and not infrequently hunt Sabers took successful civil claims on a number of occasions undercover officers as you've heard were arrested including Lambert dines and Kohl's apart from the fact that those arrests May well evidence are
03:06:17 arrests May well evidence are submissions of bias and unlawful arrests they raise a number of very important and uncomfortable issues relating to undercover officers riding rough shot
03:06:28 undercover officers riding rough shot over fundamental rights of detainees did these officers infringe legal privilege did they receive legal advice under a false premise did Undercover officers seek intelligence in circumstances where the basic legal rights of Arrested
03:06:43 the basic legal rights of Arrested persons should have been respected were these arrests used as a means of enhancing the standing of under undercover officers in their deployment and lastly there's the issue uh that I
03:06:54 and lastly there's the issue uh that I addressed earlier of undercover officers misleading Criminal Courts giving evidence in their Undercover personas on occasion with the express documented knowledge and agreement of their
03:07:12 knowledge and agreement of their managers we note Mr Lambert and Mr Raina were two of these officers the inquiry must not only establish the facts concerning these violations of fundamental rights and AFF fronts to the administration of of Justice it must also establish accountability and bring to an end such unacceptable
03:07:34 to an end such unacceptable practices thank you thank you very much indeed um Sam Jacobs now please for Sharon Grant and Stafford
03:07:40 Scott good afternoon sir I do apologize um I'm so sorry no forgive me I'm I'm getting in a muddle um Mr Jacobs uh you are now you have now 20 minutes to address me on behalf of Sharon Grant and
03:07:57 address me on behalf of Sharon Grant and Stafford Scott I think thank you correct yes so so as you indicate this is the opening statement on behalf of um Sharon Grant OB in relation to Bernie Grant and from Stafford Scott further to his role
03:08:10 from Stafford Scott further to his role on the Broadwater Farm defense committee the statements will be brief so is not to repeat the opening statement of the cooperate cooperating group of non-p Police non-state Court participants the group statement lays bare the shocking
03:08:26 group statement lays bare the shocking extent of how the SDS was mismanaged the culture within the SDS and the lack of accountability those concerns are adopted and endorsed on behalf of our
03:08:37 adopted and endorsed on behalf of our clients before proceeding with the two individual statements it is important for the inquiry to note that the documents disclosed have important implications for all of the clients represented by bat Murphy including
03:08:51 represented by bat Murphy including those whose evidence will be heard in TR 3 as a result of the Restriction orders those clients in tranch 3 have not yet had sight of the material disclosed for this set of hearings nevertheless it is important for the inquiry to have the concerns of all Court participants in
03:09:03 concerns of all Court participants in mind when considering the evidence in these forthcoming hearings the issue of how groups or individuals were selected for targeting by the SDS remains opaque and the
03:09:14 by the SDS remains opaque and the manager statements shed little light on this important issue for example hn 109 claims that the managers were not
03:09:28 claims that the managers were not directly involved in targeting decisions and that their directions came from s and C squads or directly from the security services with any disputes being resolved by the commander operations hn 61 does not even have a recollection of how targets were
03:09:39 recollection of how targets were selected and yet hn 1115 gives a more detailed account whereby targets were identified within the S SDS there was consultation with the security services and the views of senior
03:09:51 services and the views of senior Managers from other squads would be sought it is vital to this inquiry that you sir fully consider all of the documents and material that might
03:10:04 documents and material that might provide insight into the interests and concerns of the Metropolitan Police which will have informed the Apparently amorphous targeting
03:10:18 amorphous targeting strategy the special Branch report from January 1983 t titled political extremism and the campaign for accountability within the Metropolitan Police is a case in point the report makes it plain that the police viewed any attempts to bring greater
03:10:30 any attempts to bring greater accountability to policing in the metropolitan police area as subversive in itself it describes the attempts by the greater London Council to develop monior monitoring groups as grandiose
03:10:48 monior monitoring groups as grandiose and Sinister before seeking to discredit democratic the elected officials on the GLC as having extremist
03:11:00 GLC as having extremist connections the so-called subversive aims of the GLC and these groups as described in the document include monitoring the police complaints procedure to ensure that it works effectively there was clearly an intense
03:11:15 effectively there was clearly an intense interest in police accountability groups and Justice campaigns and it is the far more likely explanation for monitoring of such groups by Undercover offic than it it being only a byproduct of reporting on so-called subversive or extremist political groups indeed that is confirmed by some
03:11:31 groups indeed that is confirmed by some of the new evidence from the managers hn 1115 accepts that the SDS would have been aware of the desire on the part of the managers for special Branch to have an active role in pursuing further
03:11:42 an active role in pursuing further inquiries about these groups with the express aim of allowing the police to respond to criticism it is clear that the very notion of police accountability was
03:11:58 notion of police accountability was viewed as problematic by special branch and that the reporting on these groups and the various Justice campaigns in the tranch 2 period and Beyond was a deliberate objective it was not simply
03:12:11 deliberate objective it was not simply collateral reporting as is asserted by hn 109 and others an insight into the con consquences of this approach appears again in the evidence of hn 1115 he
03:12:25 again in the evidence of hn 1115 he defines a group as being penetrated as meaning an officer being within an organization and repeat reporting or attendance that evidence puts a further complexion on the reference to the Cherry gross Family Support campaign
03:12:40 Cherry gross Family Support campaign appearing as a group that was penetrated by the SDS in the 1985 annual report so I turned the specific opening statements firstly on behalf of Sharon Grant
03:12:52 Grant obbe the evidence contained in the manager's witness statements on the reporting on elected officials has served only to muddy the waters and to
03:13:03 served only to muddy the waters and to raise further concerns for Sharon Grant concerning the reports filed on her husband throughout the time he served as an elected representative the 1st of June 1988
03:13:15 representative the 1st of June 1988 briefing paper produced for the security services management board on counter subversion refers to F Branch monitoring of various mainstream political groups including the labor party by contrast hn 109 recalls a
03:13:29 party by contrast hn 109 recalls a practice within the Metropolitan Police that there should be no active reporting on MPS and states that there were no separate instructions for the
03:13:41 separate instructions for the SDS given the extensive evidence now available about the collaborative approach between the SDS and the security services to the monitoring of subversion it is difficult for Sharon Grant to accept that reporting on members of parliament by the SDS and
03:13:56 members of parliament by the SDS and special Branch was either discouraged or was simply incidental the inquiry will note that the reports on Bernie Grant and other members of parliament were frequently supplied to the security
03:14:08 supplied to the security services the manager's evidence on the issue is inconsistent hn 69 and hn 109 claimed that reports were filed on politicians only when they came into
03:14:23 politicians only when they came into contact with other groups or where their attendance at events might lead to an increase in the numbers of people attending hn 1115 states that he cannot recall whether any guidance was given to uos about reporting on elected
03:14:37 uos about reporting on elected politicians but he thinks it unlikely because it wasn't the practice of special Branch he says to report on elected
03:14:43 elected politicians it does not appear sir that the manager's evidence on on this issue is credible and it is not supported by the documents available to the inquiry first it is very clear that
03:15:02 inquiry first it is very clear that special Branch had a direct interest in the activities of elected politicians and that they did report on their activities in the 1983 report on police accountability there are references to dozens of elected officials with details
03:15:16 dozens of elected officials with details of their purported political beliefs and allegiances Bernie Grant is listed in this documents due to his involvement with the haringay independent police committee he is described by special Branch not as an elected labor
03:15:28 Branch not as an elected labor politician but as a supporter of the Revolutionary Communist party which in fact he was not second the reports that were filed
03:15:42 not second the reports that were filed by uos on Bernie Grant contradicts the assertion made as was noted in the opening statement and the evidence of Sharon anant for the tranch 2 part one hearings those reports contain
03:15:55 hearings those reports contain evaluations assessments and criticisms of the contents of Bernie Grant's speeches none of the managers have exercised any editorial control over those reports nor have they issued guidance to the uos about the
03:16:09 guidance to the uos about the inappropriateness of reporting on a member of parliament in this way it is worth noting also that the
03:16:23 way it is worth noting also that the interest of the Metropolitan police and the SDS appears to be at its highest when Bernie Grant was critical of policing methods or of the police this is consistent with the MPS being most concerned with its own reputation and its stated interest in
03:16:39 reputation and its stated interest in using special Branch reporting in order to defend itself from criticism Sharon Grant has long held concerns that the Metropolitan Police was the source of unfavorable media stories about her husband and the evidence disclosed to date heightens those
03:16:54 concerns I turn sir to the statement on behalf of Stafford Scott the evidence of the managers disclosed to date has exacerbated Stafford Scott's concerns about the reasons why he and the Broadwater Farm
03:17:08 reasons why he and the Broadwater Farm defense committee were the subjects of reporting by undercover officers as noted the Metropolitan Police made it clear that they regarded any campaign for police accountability and Justice to be subversive by their
03:17:23 and Justice to be subversive by their very nature Stafford Scott was involved in precisely this area of work by seeking to advance just and accountable policing in his community the manager's statements
03:17:35 community the manager's statements assert that reporting on such a groups such groups and individuals was a byproduct of reporting on the political groups who became involved with or sought contact with them and so was justified in the interest of public order
03:17:47 order however there is not one single report on Stafford Scott or of the activities of Broadwater Farm defense committee that raises any legitimate concerns
03:18:03 that raises any legitimate concerns about public order nor is there evidence of manipulation of the group by political
03:18:04 political activists to the contrary the 1983 special Branch document contains the details of two of the people who had key roles in establishing the youth and advice centers on Broadwater farm and
03:18:18 advice centers on Broadwater farm and subsequently the Broadwater Farm defense committee they are the distinguished labor politician and community worker Martha osore now baroness aamor and
03:18:33 Martha osore now baroness aamor and Dolly kein but to special Branch pillars of the communi such as this were to be characterized as political extremists the extremism involved soall
03:18:45 extremists the extremism involved soall is simply assisting and training people to make use of the police complaints process
03:18:48 process the manager approved and submitted reports by undercover officers yet did not seek to confront or address the racism that was so clearly prevalent in
03:19:03 racism that was so clearly prevalent in two of the reports disclosed speakers at public meetings are described in the reports as Negroes in one of those reports the meticulous and faultless research of one of the leading academics
03:19:19 research of one of the leading academics on policing Paul Gilroy was described as an attempt to create a hostile biased view of relations between police and colored
03:19:24 colored people it is a constant refrain of the submissions and statements made on behalf of the undercover officers and their managers that the language used in reports was reflective of its time and should not be judged by today's
03:19:40 should not be judged by today's standards and yet this is language that is more in tune with the segregated American Deep South than London in the 1980s
03:19:47 1980s the assertions made by hn 109 that police accountability groups were not of Interest say for infiltration by the extreme left and that hn 78 was tasked
03:19:58 extreme left and that hn 78 was tasked with infiltrating leftwing groups that might attempt to seize control of groups that were rooted in the minority Community are not credible against this background in discussions with the
03:20:16 background in discussions with the security services and DCI gray hn 78 is referred to as a colored potential recruit being considered for the swp even though the security services did not see the swp as requiring an undercover officer it is clear that he
03:20:34 undercover officer it is clear that he was regarded as a useful asset who would be able to obtain access that might not be available to other undercover officers the language and attitude expressed in the reports shows that
03:20:50 expressed in the reports shows that minorities were regarded as a threat by the Metropolitan Police whenever they sought to organize around issues of justice and of
03:21:01 accountability finally the extent to which these attitudes were entrenched throughout the SDS at every level is made clear by the failure of the managers to address or confront the tone and nature of the
03:21:12 and nature of the reporting hn 59 is clear that managers did not instruct uos to report everything and he states that managers would edit reports sometimes removing words or
03:21:22 words or phrases hn 109 states that he had an
03:21:33 phrases hn 109 states that he had an editorial role over the reports removing irrelevant or judgmental comments and yet despite this explicitly racist language was clearly not seen as UNT or unusual and in need of
03:21:49 editing in the opening statement of the commissioner for part one of this tranch it was acknowledged that there was unnecessary reporting on social justice
03:22:02 unnecessary reporting on social justice campaigns family campaigns and Community organizations the commissioner went on to identify a failure of the SDS management team in respect of inappropriate reporting and described the reporting on such groups as indefensible resulting from a critical failure on the part of its
03:22:16 failure on the part of its managers while the evidence in support of that admission is now before this inquiry it has not come as a surprise to Stafford Scott who has direct personal experience of the racism on display he
03:22:30 experience of the racism on display he would ask the chair to be alive to his concern that these attitudes and behaviors do not operate in a vacuum and the critical failures of the SDS managers were also critical failures on
03:22:50 managers were also critical failures on the part of the Metropolitan Police and the home office and not not just the individuals giving evidence to this inquiry so those are our opening statements thank you thank you very much indeed um it's now almost 1:00 uh we will resume at two prompt thank
03:23:15 you
03:29:15 e e