Day 2 morning session of Tranche 1 Phase 2 opening statements featuring powerful testimony from activists, including Diane Langford's statement on Women's Liberation Movement surveillance and 'Madeleine's' statement on deceptive relationship with HN354 'Vince Miller'. Also includes Philippa Kaufmann QC's statement for Category H core participants (women deceived into relationships) and Matthew Ryder QC's statement on anti-apartheid surveillance. The session opens with Chairman's tribute to Stephen Lawrence and minute of silence.
00:10:20 good morning everyone and welcome to the second day of opening statements at the undercover policing inquiry my name is Neil Fernandez and I am the hearings manager this is day two of the opening statements in tran 1 Phase 2 and this
00:10:35 statements in tran 1 Phase 2 and this phase will conclude on the 14th of May I will now hand over to our chairman Sir John mitting to formally start proceedings chairman thank you today I am going to begin by reading a statement on behalf of baroness and Dr
00:10:53 Lawrence Steven Lawrence was born and grew up in southeast London where he lived with his parents Dorian and and Neville his brother Stewart and sister
00:11:12 Neville his brother Stewart and sister Georgina he was a bright and much loved young man with his whole life ahead of him on 22nd April 1993 at the age of just
00:11:24 1993 at the age of just 18 Steven was murdered in a brutal and unprovoked racist attack after the initi police investigation five suspects were arrested but not
00:11:35 arrested but not convicted a public inquiry into the handling of Steven's case was held in 1998 leading to the publication of the mcferson report which has been called
00:11:53 mcferson report which has been called and I quote one of the most important moments in the modern history of Criminal Justice in Britain the mcferson report concluded that the Metropolitan police's murder
00:12:05 that the Metropolitan police's murder investigation had been and again I quote marred by a combination of professional incompetence institutional racism and a failure of leadership by senior officers the report led to profound
00:12:23 officers the report led to profound cultural changes in attitudes to racism to the law and to police practice it also paved the way for a greater understanding of
00:12:34 for a greater understanding of discrimination of all forms and new equalities legislation despite the brutal circumstances of Steven's death those
00:12:47 circumstances of Steven's death those Left Behind have campaigned to ensure that his legacy is ultimately one of Hope reminding us that change is both much needed but also
00:13:05 possible there will now be a period of silence for 1 minute before we resume
00:13:27 thece
00:14:15 thank you may the opening statement of Diane Langford which has been recorded i' be
00:14:24 played good morning my name is Diane Langford and this is my opening statement to the undercover placing inquiry I'm glad of the opportunity to
00:14:35 inquiry I'm glad of the opportunity to contextualize the very detailed witness statement that I've submitted to the inquiry and to say something further about my lifetime involvement in political
00:14:44 political activism when I was young I witnessed the injustices of racism sexism and the class system that was exported to Oro in New Zealand by British
00:15:00 New Zealand by British colonialism in London my activism began in the campaign against racial discrimination in the early 60s continued through the period of this inquiry and is
00:15:23 ongoing I became involved with the inquiry as a result of a memoir I posted online in 2010 that referred to the outing of Dave Robertson hn 45 as an undercover officer a sharp ey researcher who later alerted a lawyer acting on behalf of
00:15:39 alerted a lawyer acting on behalf of non-state core participants spotted my blog otherwise I'd never have been called to give evidence how many others who were spied on are completely unaware that their names appear in these
00:15:53 files I'll never know what career opportunities were denied to me or what other barriers have been placed in front of me during my lifetime as a result of the machinations of the special demonstration
00:16:08 demonstration Squad I'll never know whether unpleasant incidents for example being denied credit or visas or Breakin at my home were connected to the surveillance I was being subjected
00:16:24 being subjected to I was misled as to the number of uos who were spying on me initially I was
00:16:39 who were spying on me initially I was only aware of hn 45 known to me as Dave Robertson then the undercover research group revealed hn 348 who infiltrated the women's Liberation
00:16:50 the women's Liberation movement later I learned that several others such as dick EPS have also reported on me in different organizations I belonged to despite the poor treatment I've received from the inquiry who failed to to invite me to give evidence in phase one as detailed in my witness statement
00:17:08 one as detailed in my witness statement I'm grateful to the chair for belated me belatedly granting my CP status I'm very concerned that I was denied the opportunity to participate in the November [Music]
00:17:26 [Music] hearings I was perplexed that the ruling on my CP status introduced me as the Widow of the late Abby manual manchanda as if I was merely an appendage this is an example of institutionalized
00:17:39 institutionalized sexism observable in any traditional English
00:17:44 English graveyard here lies John X of this parish and his wife Janet X I'd like to express my solidarity with all whove been unjustly treated by the abhorent practices under
00:17:58 abhorent practices under investigation to the women who were abused and deceived by uos the Lawrence Family Celia stubs trade unionists anti-racist activists
00:18:18 trade unionists anti-racist activists and those named in my witness bundle who were members of the women's Liberation movement the Gay Liberation Front the black unity and Freedom Party the Revolutionary socialist student Federation the pan africanist Congress of aania the provisional revolutionary government of South Vietnam the school's action
00:18:34 the school's action Union artists for Liberation and other anti-ap partite and Liberation organizations I want to pay tribute to personal friends and comrades who are
00:18:45 personal friends and comrades who are not no longer with us whose names I was very sad to see in my witness bundle rest in power Dorothy El marasi
00:18:59 bundle rest in power Dorothy El marasi Palestinian and women's liberationist NM Sonia seedo holoc course Survivor and writer David Madela founder of the artist Liberation Front David MEF gumana SEO of the pan-africanist Congress of
00:19:22 SEO of the pan-africanist Congress of aania and leis eeks Palestine solidarity campaigner whose arrest in 1970 sparked the first Gay Liberation demonstration in hybri
00:19:32 in hybri fields entrapment of gay men was another dimension to the methods of undercover officers my hope is to join the dots between the past in the present and to provide a fuller picture of the aims of some of the organizations I was involved
00:19:48 with a grim Continuum is discernable from the secret police reports of the 60s culminating in the skewed structure of the inquiry tasked with investigating them this Continuum of State
00:19:59 them this Continuum of State surveillance racism misogyny homophobia Empire Nostalgia and posttruth politics is part and parcel of an authoritarian
00:20:15 is part and parcel of an authoritarian imperative to go backwards from action on the climate emergency to trashing women's and workers hardw rights while preserving imperialism and racism amid an outpouring of white denial
00:20:30 an outpouring of white denial the inquiry is mired in secretiveness
00:20:47 the inquiry is mired in secretiveness prevarication lack of accountability and transparency bundles of selected secret police reports some of them barely legible and incomplete but still wreaking of racism and misogyny were dispatched to a relatively tiny number of people in relation to the extensive surve
00:20:58 relation to the extensive surve veillance operation that was being carried out by the special demonstration Squad and other spy agencies against thousands of individuals and
00:21:14 groups enclosed with the bundle was an intimidating penal notice threatening sequestration of assets if the contents were
00:21:25 were shared the inquiry informed me on November the 11th that 8 H n348 the UC who had infiltrated the women's Liberation movement was to give evidence on November the
00:21:37 evidence on November the 18th at that time I was still unrepresentative unrepresented and aware that I could have had access unaware that I could have had access to a live
00:21:49 that I could have had access to a live feed at the time this was limited to a rolling transcript only with a 10-minute
00:22:03 rolling transcript only with a 10-minute delay obviously by the by the time I was informed by the inquiry that hn 348 was giving evidence the deadline for registering to attend the venue had passed I was only alerted when hn 348
00:22:16 passed I was only alerted when hn 348 evidence was coming to an end I received an email from the undercover research group telling me that Maxine Peak was reading out the
00:22:27 transcript I fully support the police spice out of Our Lives activists who organize the reading by actors to make the hearings more accessible to the public and to highlight the inquiry failure to do
00:22:42 so I won't read out the strings of numbers referencing the documents I refer to these will be fully referenced in the written version of this opening
00:22:59 statement three dramatic events spring to my mind when I recall the period under
00:23:00 under scrutiny one the threat of violence against her family made by hn 45 to my friend after she identified him as a
00:23:17 friend after she identified him as a UC two a fire assumed to be a right-wing aren attack at Banner books where I believe a man died the premises were under surveillance by h45 and even if as claimed
00:23:28 h45 and even if as claimed he'd been withdrawn from the field before the fire it's likely he had keys made C memorandum dated 7th of February
00:23:45 made C memorandum dated 7th of February 1972 stating he would be able to provide a plan of the book shop and would have access to the keys of the premises the possibility that a Bookshop was set Al light by fascists causing a
00:23:58 was set Al light by fascists causing a death while under surveillance by uos is surely worthy of deeper
00:24:08 investigation number three an allegation of attempted rape was made during a meeting reported on by hm45 but was ignored by him and instead he focused on my domestic and financial
00:24:21 he focused on my domestic and financial Arrangements while ridiculing my partner who was caring for our
00:24:27 baby I want to say something about the women's Liberation movement feminism exists wherever women resist oppression and at certain points in history mass movements develop
00:24:42 in history mass movements develop involving National and international waves of
00:24:50 waves of activism I was lucky to participate in one such wave the women's Liberation movement as it Rose in the
00:24:59 1960s I believe then as now that this is among the most globally important issues and that understanding the intersection of women's oppression with other forms is fundamental to
00:25:10 other forms is fundamental to Transforming Our World like all women who created the movement my commitment was based on personal experience recognized as
00:25:26 political for example when I was in my early 20s my flatmate died of an illegal Backstreet abortion she was only
00:25:40 abortion she was only 19 the memory of her death remains Vivid for me still at the age of 79 like women everywhere I've experienced sexual harassment and assault for years I was Mother of the
00:25:56 assault for years I was Mother of the chapel that is a shop steward in a male dominated Trade union where I contended with everyday misogyny and sexist
00:26:08 and sexist attitudes that the basic goals of the movement remain unachieved and still resisted confirms their profound nature it was the belief of the women's Liberation Front which was the group
00:26:19 Liberation Front which was the group which I began my involvement in in the movement as a whole that patriarchal racialized capitalism cannot and will not meet those
00:26:31 goals discovering that groups I was involved in and the women's Liberation as a whole were secretly surveilled has been a traumatizing
00:26:44 been a traumatizing experience it's harrowing to find out about the pernicious attitudes of officers masquerading as comrades and friends and sisters who inv vle their
00:26:55 friends and sisters who inv vle their way into our homes families meetings and lives and the Betrayal of trust is
00:27:06 unforgivable many of the groups I belong to are long gone but the state bodies represented at this inquiry despite their nuclear weapons Army police and Air Force and tactic of manufacturing
00:27:19 Air Force and tactic of manufacturing consent including the ability to issue D notices to stifle reportage are beset with fragility the inquiry is at pains to protect the anonymity and feelings of
00:27:30 protect the anonymity and feelings of states enforcers the secret police who are embarrassed that their friends and families might find out about their abhorent
00:27:45 occupation they claim that if they are in Peril from those of us who have campaigned against imperialism and colonialism for peace women's rights
00:27:58 colonialism for peace women's rights workers rights and against the state's brutal treatment of people of color including deaths in state custody which totaled
00:28:06 totaled 1,737 since
00:28:12 1990 I'm going to turn now to some further troubling aspects of the
00:28:20 inquiry the covert human intelligence sources criminal conduct act 2021 legalizes all the criminality the spite Ops engaged in though not
00:28:33 spite Ops engaged in though not retrospectively what is the point of the inquiry
00:28:35 inquiry now in a democratic system our inquiries not designed to
00:28:48 system our inquiries not designed to inform governments to help them fashion good laws or at least benign [Music]
00:28:49 [Music] ones in January 2020 a police counterterrorism document produced by the equivalent unit responsible for the special
00:29:02 responsible for the special demonstration Squad listed the campaign for nuclear disarmament the campaign against the arms Trade Stop The War and the Palestine solidarity campaign as extremists the Palestine solidarity
00:29:14 extremists the Palestine solidarity campaign was established soon after the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank Gaza the Golan Heights the siai and
00:29:27 Gaza the Golan Heights the siai and parts of Southern Lebanon its aims were were and still are to call on the British government to pressure Israel to abide by un resolutions and international and human rights
00:29:41 international and human rights law I joined the PSC upon learning the truth of the history of Palestine subsequently visiting the West Bank and Gaza on a fact-f finding tour and becoming an executive committee member and women's officer of
00:29:58 PSC as success of governments have not acted despite Britain's special responsibility for the colonization of Palestine and given Israel's intensification of Oppression of the
00:30:15 intensification of Oppression of the Palestinian people the PSC continues its solidarity role as a mainstream campaigning organization with substantial public support this activism brings together my commitment to anti-racism and women's Liberation for women cannot exercise
00:30:29 Liberation for women cannot exercise what should be their unhampered right to strive for Freedom under a brutal military occupation and genocidal aparti regime which destroys essential Civil Society
00:30:46 Society infrastructure in this as in other instances International feminist solidarity is I Believe
00:30:59 essential if I was under surveillance in 1970 as a member of the Palestine Sol solidarity campaign am I under surveillance now I became far more active in PSC in the early 2000s following the second
00:31:11 the early 2000s following the second inter than I was in the 60s and 70s and remain
00:31:12 remain so where are the documents while the state can rely on privileged sections of society plus the main political parties to support its
00:31:26 main political parties to support its authoritarian imperative and mccarthyite political culture it may be more difficult to justify the surveillance of women who were organizing jumble sales campaigning for equal pay child
00:31:40 sales campaigning for equal pay child care equal education Reproductive Rights and an end to male violence according to reports made available hn 348 spied on 77 meetings
00:31:56 available hn 348 spied on 77 meetings during her deployment of which 55 were related to the women's Liberation movement
00:31:57 movement the length of if the length of her deployment is as she claims she must have attended more meetings than I did yet the inquiry appears intent on
00:32:09 did yet the inquiry appears intent on restricting the scope of its remit to investigate the extent of spying on the women's Liberation movement the inquiry is colluding with
00:32:22 movement the inquiry is colluding with the state by constraining the search for wider
00:32:29 evidence what do we find when we read the uco's
00:32:30 the uco's reports we find the work of people acting in good faith in the hope of creating a future free of Oppression as
00:32:45 creating a future free of Oppression as seen through The Grubby distorting lens of officers incapable of understanding what they're spying on the reports lay be the prejudices bigotry and ignorance of the kind that provoked the movements being
00:33:00 provoked the movements being infiltrated this is surely the the great irony regarding the covert Sur surveillance this inquiry is investigating that it demonstrates precisely the reasons for the impetus
00:33:11 precisely the reasons for the impetus for the very existence of the movement they were spying on we see a Shameless Assumption of entitlement and a complete lack of conscience Behavior devoid of any
00:33:27 conscience Behavior devoid of any compunction about intruding into people lives and
00:33:37 lives and homes we see the state sanctioned sexual abuse of women used as objects by men disregard for the lives of black and brown people and women racist assumptions of white supremacy State brutality and indifference to Human
00:33:49 brutality and indifference to Human Rights attempts to curtail and control peaceful
00:33:51 peaceful demonstrations Democratic campaigning and the privileging of property and profit before
00:34:12 people to read these reports is to see some of the greatest ideas of our time crushed into the narrow confines of a mentality absolutely lacking in the capacity to comprehend them the undercover police officers failure to acknowledge the enormity of
00:34:24 failure to acknowledge the enormity of their wrongdoing perpetuates a culture of
00:34:25 of impunity
00:34:28 impunity we see the callous use of women's bodies by misogynous male officers who see such abuse as a perk of the job and a
00:34:40 abuse as a perk of the job and a Confluence of the sexist behavior and patriarchal attitudes of some soall left-wing men in socialist groups and those of those spying on them we see the F of female officers
00:34:54 them we see the F of female officers paid less than their male counterparts spying on women's organizations campaigning for equal pay one of these hn
00:35:07 hn 348 gives a prurient homophobic account of spying at a national women's Liberation movement conference was she asked to report on this particular
00:35:18 this particular aspect if so why if not why did she make these
00:35:22 these comments what could possibly justify such
00:35:26 intrusiveness this inquiry reached iterates the intrusive processes of surveillance requiring the victims of spying to explain and justify themselves when it is the perpetrators of
00:35:39 when it is the perpetrators of surveillance who should be interrogated and held
00:35:41 and held accountable remarkably we Witnesses are
00:35:54 accountable remarkably we Witnesses are again being subjected to intrusion into our personal and political lives as if some retroactive justification could thereby be found for utterly dishonorable and indefensible police actions whereas the perpetrators of
00:36:07 actions whereas the perpetrators of abuse are granted impunity anonymity or The Refuge of poor
00:36:13 memory a primary function of progressive movements is the denaturalizing of social relations revealing that they're not inevitable or immutable that white and male Supremacy
00:36:34 immutable that white and male Supremacy are created not innate that gender roles are socially constructed that racism heterosexism and sexism can be challenged and refuted that it's not true that as Winston Churchill said white people constitute quote a stronger race a
00:36:48 constitute quote a stronger race a higher grade race unquote that has a right to subjugate indigenous people that impoverishment homelessness hunger and lack of resources stem not
00:37:03 hunger and lack of resources stem not from Individual failings but deliberate policy
00:37:07 policy decisions political activism makes it clear that human nature is not ahistorically fixed in selfishness but contains great variety of potential such as that for cooperation not
00:37:23 as that for cooperation not competition as the saying goes another world is
00:37:30 world is possible as soon as these assertions are made they're contradicted by those defending existing power structures whenever a seismic shift promises to bring about social change to improve the world a backlash inevit
00:37:45 improve the world a backlash inevit inevitably arises from those with vested interests who benefit from the status
00:37:58 interests who benefit from the status quo so it is with the movements to save our planet from the unfolding climate catastrophe to end white and male Supremacy to free people from exploitative labor and liberate women from all forms of
00:38:14 Oppression the idea of defunding the police is deliberately misunderstood but expresses the optimistic hope of transforming the police into a Force for good tasked with protecting people from harm safeguarding Society from destructive criminality up holding
00:38:30 destructive criminality up holding principles against corruption violence and
00:38:35 and Injustice representational Politics the notion that having women or people of color in positions of power will bring about positive change in itself are clearly inadequate as the examples of
00:38:47 clearly inadequate as the examples of Margaret Thatcher golden mayair pretty Patel Etc have shown having a female police chief is meaningless without a change of culture and policy can we we not imagine an
00:39:01 and policy can we we not imagine an alternative to punitive law enforcement and
00:39:03 and incarceration and invest instead in other models centered in community in schools health care and other methods of keeping Community
00:39:18 safe I'm returning now to the theme of the Continuum that I mentioned
00:39:27 earlier it's patently obvious that a thread runs through police POC policies and strategies from the time when surveillance of myself and my colleagues began to the present
00:39:39 began to the present day the UC reports from the 1970s reveal the systemic sexism racism and right-wing prejudices that have manifested repeatedly in for example the
00:39:50 manifested repeatedly in for example the egregious exploitation of women deceived into Intimate Relationships by male officers and the Despicable acts of spying on the B Weed family of Steven
00:40:01 spying on the B Weed family of Steven Lawrence and on Celia stubs partner of the murdered anti-fascist Blair
00:40:16 Peach endemic and horrendous violence against women continues yet the criminal justice system fails to provide Justice to victims of sexual and domestic assault and abuse black people are killed in custody and Justice is never served indeed Leroy Logan founding
00:40:28 served indeed Leroy Logan founding member and chair of the black Police Association commented after the police action at the vigil for Sarah everard that the Met seemed to have gone
00:40:43 that the Met seemed to have gone backwards from the time when it seemed to him the mcferson report brought a glimmer of the possibility of
00:40:50 change again I have to ask if I was UN under surveillance in 1971 as a women's Liberation activist and am I under surveillance now I've been actively involved in the women's
00:41:03 been actively involved in the women's Liberation movement throughout my life attending meetings and conferences my involvement post 1973 is public knowledge I was frequently contacted by the media for
00:41:17 the media for comment for example Prince Charles told the son in November 1975 that quote women's liberationists rather annoy me because they tend to
00:41:33 rather annoy me because they tend to argue all the time and start calling you a m chauvinist Pig frankly it becomes rather
00:41:35 rather uncivilized unquote the paper wrote quote a rep for the prince came from women's Liber Mrs Diane Langford last night Mrs Langford
00:41:47 night Mrs Langford 33-year-old Secretary of the women's Liberation Front said quot I consider his views on women's Liberation completely valueless
00:42:00 completely valueless unquote yet the inquiry declines to do a full search of my police records after 1973 all those relating to the women's Liberation movement as a
00:42:13 whole as we learn more about surveillance capitalism I have to ask whether I'm under surveillance as I sit here reading
00:42:26 here reading this Amnesty International who've taken the government to court over GC hq's tempora program have warned the revelations around tempora show that a wide net is being cast throughout public lives it's not being done with any
00:42:41 lives it's not being done with any grounds for suspicion it's being done to find the grounds for suspicion furthermore the entangled means of surveillance control of knowledge Authority and power have developed far beyond the crude phone
00:42:54 developed far beyond the crude phone tapping of the 60s when a voice would cut into a conversation asking can you
00:43:07 cut into a conversation asking can you speak up please I didn't catch that last bit or the white van parked outside our flat with aerial sprouting from it the occupants of which would accept a cup of tea if we banged on the rear door or two men sitting behind us on the
00:43:25 door or two men sitting behind us on the bus to whom we referred the conductor to collect our fairs and they would pay up
00:43:31 despite the development of mindboggling algorithms and digital surveillance techniques is there much difference between the secret police methods and the harvesting of personal data by means of artificial
00:43:43 of artificial intelligence our personal data was hoovered up mindlessly and meaninglessly with as little empathy as if by an
00:43:55 with as little empathy as if by an algorithm this was Illustrated time and again by hn4 and hn 348 for example a report authored by hn 348 on August the 1st
00:44:07 348 on August the 1st 1972 quote soand so a woman's name is given is a member of the Revolutionary women's Union she lives in a council flat at Address given with her two
00:44:23 flat at Address given with her two children aged 6 and a half years and three years and her mother and the mother mother is named also she is a divorced woman and is in receipt of 850 per week Social Security she attends
00:44:35 per week Social Security she attends revolutionary women's Union meetings regularly and is particularly interested in agitating for 24-Hour
00:44:48 in agitating for 24-Hour nurseries this woman is on a very is on very friendly terms with another woman is named here and her description is aged about 23 years very thin bu medium length Fair hair blue eyes very pale complexion poorly clothed but neat and
00:45:02 complexion poorly clothed but neat and tidy wears black rimmed glasses copney
00:45:19 accent unquote the internationally celebrated artist David madella who passed away last January is described by hn 348 like this quote Asian features and coloring dirty appearance very poorly clad he is very
00:45:30 appearance very poorly clad he is very opposed to the current government in the Philippines that was October 1971 so just to provide historical context the government was the notorious Marcos
00:45:40 Marcos dictatorship Mary spur representing the post office workers union was described by hn 348 as a bleach
00:45:55 by hn 348 as a bleach blonde well miss Spur's testimony about the humiliating conditions she and her co-workers were was subjected to as hello girls at telephone exchanges was not deemed of Interest hn 348 even sped on the
00:46:08 Interest hn 348 even sped on the school's action Union this is another interesting example of the Continuum I was speaking about earlier as dich
00:46:22 was speaking about earlier as dich College the site of one of the school's action Union's largest demonstrations against corporal punishment is back in the new use with accusations of a rape culture reminiscent of the 60s hn 348 collected a sample of a
00:46:38 60s hn 348 collected a sample of a woman's handwriting a woman whose home she had been invited into this woman's name and address feature in the files but she herself remains in Blissful ignorance and has not been contacted by the
00:47:00 not been contacted by the inquiry browsing the disclosure provided by the inquiry I came across other disgusting examples of racism and sexism on the 1st of June 1978 a report about the Federation of London anchus groups informs the special branch that a subject had cut off his
00:47:14 branch that a subject had cut off his beard quote to reveal that he has a long face large Jewish nose and full lips unquote a report signed off by Angus
00:47:44 unquote a report signed off by Angus Macintosh about the women's organizer of international socialists dated October 1976 states she has a quote typically Jewish L to her and rather prominent nose always scruffy dressed in blue jeans and t-shirt without a bra unquote quote a was in the audience unquote according to a report on a weekly meeting of Hackney
00:47:55 on a weekly meeting of Hackney International socialists at Center prise in
00:48:01 in dlon the meeting discussed self-defense strategies for victims of physical attacks by the national front what was special Branch doing to stop the national front from attacking people of
00:48:09 people of color they were spying on anti-racists and hanging out in their safe
00:48:17 safe houses Angus Angus McIntosh signed off on a report of another is meeting dated the 23rd of August 197 75 describing a woman's speaker as
00:48:34 attractive document 15145 describes a man as quote an Avid Reader of gay news with quote an effeminate manner unquote
00:48:45 with quote an effeminate manner unquote this guy was a member of swp but because of shift work he didn't attend
00:48:52 meetings personal details and a photograph of a woman in the heckley branch of women's voice appear in a report dated May 1975 describing her as quote a divorced woman who has a daughter age six years
00:49:14 unquote these patronizing violations of people's personal space of suppressing a child's right to demonstrate against s self State sanctioned physical abuse the racist anti-semitic sexist and judgmental descriptions of people's personal appearances that filled the
00:49:29 personal appearances that filled the notebooks of the secret police may not amount to much in the eyes of the inquiry it's the accretion of them that is the stuff of authoritarian regimes
00:49:42 is the stuff of authoritarian regimes hence the expression that was used in the past Petty
00:49:49 apartheid it's important as well to appreciate that the Revolutionary socialist students Federation another targeted group of which I was a member as well as opposing imperialism and
00:50:02 as well as opposing imperialism and racist Wars campaigned for the inclusion of Shostakovich and jazz on the curriculum at the Royal Academy of Music today we see another period of
00:50:13 Music today we see another period of curtailment of the curriculum to fit in with
00:50:14 with utilitarian exploitative
00:50:26 objectives I want to say something now about the portrayal of my late former partner Abby Manu manchanda doubtless he was under surveillance prior to the time frame of this inquiry having Taken part in the Indian independence struggle and as the
00:50:44 Indian independence struggle and as the former partner of the late great Claudia Jones with whom he edited the leading black newspaper the West Indian Gazette hn4 displays a vindictive hatred
00:50:57 Gazette hn4 displays a vindictive hatred of Manu and a pecular obsession with our personal relationship and child care Arrangements he sent detailed reports to the special Branch about what he apparently saw as transgressive Behavior a man looking after his own child and
00:51:14 a man looking after his own child and expressing horror that I was quote sent out to work unquote he informs his superiors of menus quote insufferable anecdotes unquote about our
00:51:28 unquote about our baby strangely nothing in there about us overthrowing the state Machine hn 45 dick EPS at L were part of a manipulative racist Endeavor to
00:51:40 a manipulative racist Endeavor to justify their pay packet by portraying Manu as being an imminent danger to the state implying he espoused the idea of going on demonstrations only to ferment
00:51:52 going on demonstrations only to ferment violence this is utter rubbish he never had any Illusions about the possibility of quote smashing the state machine unquote on the contrary he was pragmatic
00:52:05 unquote on the contrary he was pragmatic about the possibility of challenging the power of the state headon his skepticism about the willingness of sections of the white working class to give up privileges
00:52:18 working class to give up privileges derived from colonialism annoyed many on the left and apparently hn
00:52:28 45 why does the inquiry refer to Manu as manchanda while using the full names of others the inquiry has picked up on the divisive tactic of labeling anti-war campaigners as doves or
00:52:40 campaigners as doves or Hawks Manu and tarali happen to be from colonized countries this was a familiar Rose used by the corrupt Colonial
00:52:54 Rose used by the corrupt Colonial administrators of Empire drawing on hundreds of years of experience of divide and Rule I attached an exhibit to my witness statement a contemporaneous New York
00:53:05 statement a contemporaneous New York Review of Books article by the American novelist Mary McCarthy who saw Manu differently quote the manchanda group had been described in the newspapers as
00:53:22 had been described in the newspapers as favoring violence and the tar Ali group not but actually terali was organizing dramatic dramatically for violence of course we're talking here about police
00:53:33 course we're talking here about police violence that list of first aid stations the instructions published in the black dwarf on what to do when Gast on the supposition amounting to prophecy that the police would start or provoke it whereas Mr manchanda when I asked him
00:53:44 whereas Mr manchanda when I asked him whether it was true that he planned to storm the US Embassy Shrugged and said simply we are too few in groa square the next day a lilting voice I thought I
00:54:01 next day a lilting voice I thought I recognized as his could be heard urging restraint on the crowd though possibly this was merely
00:54:09 proor this full essay is worth reading as McCarthy gives an evocative description of the time and place the reason for spying on us was to gather intelligence about forthcoming
00:54:21 gather intelligence about forthcoming demonstrations and possible infractions of public
00:54:22 of public order the futility of this is illustrated by a demonstration
00:54:33 illustrated by a demonstration consisting of a maximum of a dozen of us walking with cardboard placards in support of huy Newton in 1970 we were astonished to arrive at grova Square to be met by at least a
00:54:48 grova Square to be met by at least a thousand uniformed police and row upon row of cars parked up in the side streets Vans parked
00:54:56 up in my witness statement I dealt with the inquiry's inappropriate rule 9 written questions about my personal relationship with
00:55:11 Manu now I I'd like to examine the significance of another question which was numbered 11.3 in which the inquiry refers to a list of targets for picketing and asks my view of these proposed
00:55:24 my view of these proposed actions on the list were Dal chemicals and the Playboy Club but these represented two of the campaigns I was deeply involved with what did the inquiry have in mind when they asked me about D
00:55:36 when they asked me about D chemicals is the implication that D chemicals whose inhuman war crimes have never been accounted for was under the protection of the British state it may help the inquiry to know
00:55:59 state it may help the inquiry to know that D chemicals was the manufacturer of napan a firebomb fuel gel mixture used by the American Military against Vietnamese
00:56:11 Vietnamese civilians the gel-like con constituency especially developed by da allows the substance to stick to human flesh so that its targets targets cannot extinguish the fire or brush it
00:56:24 away first it burns through their clothes then their skin then their Flesh and Bones
00:56:32 and Bones a 9-year-old Vietnamese child's Infamous portrayal as napan girl was the subject of a photograph published worldwide she was running naked in the middle of a fireball her skin peeling away in fiery sheets as she ran her name was fany Kim
00:56:45 ran her name was fany Kim fruk a New York Times article in March 2019 why Napal is a cauy cautionary tale for Tech Giants pursuing military
00:57:03 for Tech Giants pursuing military contracts advises Google Amazon and Microsoft not to get involved with defense
00:57:05 defense contracts D chemicals is cited as an example of what can go wrong the paper warns that D only received amily $5 million for the Napal contract
00:57:22 million for the Napal contract ultimately sacrificing billions of dollars of lost Revenue due to reputational damage I plead guilty to being one of those who helped cause reputational damage to D
00:57:37 chemicals the Continuum I spoke of earlier can be perceived in UK State protection being accorded to Israeli arms manufacturers in particular in particular Elbert who boast that their equipment is Battle tested on
00:57:49 equipment is Battle tested on Palestinians despite widespread public disgust at the brutal treatment Meed up to Pal inan Civ
00:58:03 civilians what was behind the inquiry's question about picking the clayboy club does the inquiry regard the Playboy club whose employees are referred to as
00:58:14 club whose employees are referred to as bunny girls as an institution worthy of special protection by secret police I agree with Alice Robson reviewing misbehaving stories of protest against the missworld Contex and the
00:58:29 against the missworld Contex and the beauty industry who wrote in the red pepper quote a distance of 50 years didn't lessen my revulsion at hearing that pageant host Bob Hope bragged about
00:58:44 that pageant host Bob Hope bragged about taking the winner to Vietnam to give the gis the hots it feels like a Triumph when he is driven from the stage unquote hn 348 referred to the 1970
00:58:56 unquote hn 348 referred to the 1970 missworld protest as an event that was organized by the women's Liberation Front prior to her deployment the the protest against the missworld contest was not organized by the women's Liberation Front although I did attend the
00:59:07 did attend the demonstration it was a magnificent disruption of an exploitative commercial event degrading to women it was not a threat to public order or
00:59:30 security when she attended the 1972 National Women's liberation conference at Acton Town Hall what was hn 348 motivation in describing women kissing did her handlers ask her if there were lesbians at conferences was she hoping these reports would find favor with her vois bosses if not why
00:59:47 favor with her vois bosses if not why did she deem it important to report to her handlers about women displaying affection the music played quote to get people in the mood unquote and details of food and drink served despite her writing one of the
01:00:00 served despite her writing one of the longest reports I've seen in any of the available documents that include several pages of description of the food drink and music and scenes of women showing
01:00:14 and music and scenes of women showing affection hn 348 told the inquiry quote I was not specifically instructed to report back everything and part of my role would have been to filter out certain things from very long meetings unquote
01:00:26 unquote did her handlers ask her to collect information on the numbers of people of color at every event she spied on if as claimed she didn't recognize
01:00:42 on if as claimed she didn't recognize the language used in some of the reports attributed to her does she stand by the content of these reports was there a double or even triple input into the writing of reports according to her account first
01:00:58 reports according to her account first she writes by hand then it's typed up by another Spy Cop working in the back office is she suggesting that the ignorant and vois comments here therein were added by a second or even a third
01:01:16 person I'd like to move on to some deeper problematic issues associated with the
01:01:22 inquiry the trajectory of the inquiry so far raises questions conning sh concerning shith such as the separation of state and Judiciary and policing by
01:01:41 consent in the United States Angela Davis the black lives matter movement and others have made mainstream the Abolitionist concept of truly policing by
01:01:46 by consent where might unbridled State surveillance fit in to the concept of policing by consent
01:02:02 I have no sympathy for the SDS yet I found the psychiatric reports on one officer in his plea to avoid accounting for accounting for himself before the inquiry distressing the officer had developed a dual personality disorder and was
01:02:17 dual personality disorder and was happier living in his Legend identity than he was in his actual
01:02:30 than he was in his actual one he exhibited symptoms of severe PTSD his suitability for the so-call work he was doing had never been assessed nor had he received any treatment or counseling he was used as cannon fodder by the state placing those close to him in
01:02:48 Jeopardy inquiries since the mcferson inquiry have been devalued by the manner in which they've been determinedly in the manner in which they determinedly obstructed genuine
01:03:00 determinedly obstructed genuine inquiry for example pretty Patel set up an inquiry into the atrocious police violence against women at Clapham common an incident that she herself set in train while the inquiry is so heavily
01:03:19 train while the inquiry is so heavily weighted in favor of the state how are we going to find out when the abuse started rotten apples the cynical attitudes of the uos as evidenced by the misogynous reporting in the past and current lack of remorse
01:03:35 in the past and current lack of remorse makes it inevitable that any opportunity to take advantage of women would have been
01:03:36 been taken there's never just one cockroach where are these files kept who has access to them dozens of people
01:03:51 has access to them dozens of people whose names recur in the files I've had sight of have absolutely no idea that the secret police came into their homes under false pretenses and spied on them
01:04:03 under false pretenses and spied on them at the bare minimum anyone whose private space was violated resulting in them being named in these files should be informed and invited to be part of the
01:04:18 inquiry the asymmetrical structure of the inquiry is a ball workor against truth transparency and
01:04:25 accountability I'm in awe of the lawyers working so hard on behalf of non non-state core participants the state bodies including
01:04:40 participants the state bodies including the National Police Chief's Council the National Crime agency the met the home office Etc have their own various teams then there are the police CPS designated lawers for met officers and
01:04:52 designated lawers for met officers and individual officers who decided not to be represented by the Met all are F funded separately so they all get to put forward their own positions whereas the
01:05:06 forward their own positions whereas the hundreds of non-state core participants are often limited to one legal team funded directly by the inquiry hence it's something of a fluke that I was eventually called to provide my
01:05:16 my Recollections I believe my own lawyers have just one small a small team of two present throughout to represent all non-state cp's generic
01:05:31 non-state cp's generic interests my Barrister and solicitor are only funded to be present at the hearings on the days when I give evidence and when a witness directly related to me gives
01:05:43 related to me gives evidence it's my understanding that state bodies and their designated lawyers will have a presence throughout is that fair is that
01:05:56 throughout is that fair is that balanced if the state is investigating the state isn't that the ultimate conflict of interest regarding the anonymity granted
01:06:10 interest regarding the anonymity granted to uos naturally those of us who aspi on wish and need to see the faces of those responsible in order to have closure otherwise we continue to suspect our friends and fellow activists a
01:06:21 our friends and fellow activists a corrosive byproduct of the indefensible violation of Human Relationships perpetrated by undercover officers but instead they are granted [Music]
01:06:34 [Music] anonymity a request for a photograph of hn 348 was declined by the inquiry as
01:06:46 hn 348 was declined by the inquiry as they were not holding one in their files why not ask hn 348 to supply one as requested by my legal
01:06:53 representative none of this inspires conf confidence rather it Bears out the
01:07:05 conf confidence rather it Bears out the idea that as audre Lord put it quote the Master's tools will never dismantle the Master's house
01:07:18 Master's house unquote it is clear that women people of color and others working for a better world will need to continue with our Grassroots campaigning on behalf of ourselves and one another however my hope is that this
01:07:30 another however my hope is that this quiry will in fact prove useful to us in such struggles for justice Human Rights and
01:07:31 and Freedom thank
01:07:47 you thank you we will now hear a statement from madlin I coun to the inquiry her
01:07:59 madlin I coun to the inquiry her recognized legal representative and with her consent Rosa will both see and her hear her opening statement no one else will see it but will be able to hear it
01:08:22 mag would you like to begin I'm known in this inquiry as madelin I was granted anonymity and invited to become a core participant because I was deceived into an intimate sexual relationship with an undercover
01:08:34 sexual relationship with an undercover officer in the SDS who I knew as Vince Miller the relationship happened over 40 years ago and lasted for a period of time over the summer and Early Autumn of
01:08:45 time over the summer and Early Autumn of 1979 when he suddenly disappeared I knew him for three years after he infiltrated my S swp Branch at the beginning of 1977 Vince Miller hn
01:09:00 1977 Vince Miller hn 354 has admitted to a total of four sexual relationships during his unremarkable deployment but at the present time only his undercover name is known to me the chair has now decided to revoke the anonymity order granted to hm
01:09:17 revoke the anonymity order granted to hm 354 and to release his real name I would like to thank the chair for this decision it's absolutely the right thing to do but for the wrong reason as hn 354 shouldn't have had his identity
01:09:31 shouldn't have had his identity protected in the first place hn 354 lost the right to privacy due to his abusive acts and no legitimate reasons have been given for withholding his real name the innocent victims of sexual abuse by undercover officers are neither violent
01:09:49 undercover officers are neither violent or criminal we pose absolutely no threat to these officers or their families our involvement with the inquiry is simply to help uncover the truth anonymity and secrecy are hampering this process of
01:10:00 secrecy are hampering this process of discovery and denying many other victims the knowledge that they too have been affected and preventing them from coming forward please forgive me for interrupting you but you are going a
01:10:11 interrupting you but you are going a little fast okay I'm sorry I'm sorry slightly
01:10:13 slightly nervous fully understand that but you could go a little more slowly they would appreciate it okay I will thank you I
01:10:29 appreciate it okay I will thank you I would also like to thank the chair for giving me the opportunity to share my experience and to tell my story as I believe that the voices of those affected by undercover policing should be at the very heart of this inquiry without our knowledge and understanding
01:10:40 without our knowledge and understanding of the events described in these reports and without our perspective this whole inquiry is in danger of becoming a sham more than 1,000 groups almost
01:10:52 more than 1,000 groups almost exclusively leftwing have been targeted over many decades the condemnation and branding of legitimate political activists as subversives dangerous extremists violent Hooligans and troublemakers which has
01:11:04 Hooligans and troublemakers which has been exposed in these reports provides justification and allows the suppression by the UK state of the ideas and
01:11:16 by the UK state of the ideas and dissenting voices of anyone who dares to question and challenge the status quo the reports paint a picture of people unrecognizable from my own experience and knowing that some of
01:11:28 experience and knowing that some of these words were written by someone I trusted and cared about is deeply painful compassionate honest and brave are the words that I would use to
01:11:42 are the words that I would use to describe my friends and comrades they're Ordinary Decent human beings not thugs not the enemy Within but principled caring and idealistic people fighting for a better world this whole sorry Saga needs to be understood and and framed as The Logical
01:11:58 understood and and framed as The Logical expression of the actions of a state and security apparatus wedded to the interests of the ruling class it's not about the actions of numerous outof control Road cops but of policing directed from the highest level to
01:12:14 directed from the highest level to uncover the truth it's essential that this inquiry proceeds in an open collaborative way and it needs to be seen to be committed to this aim I'm I'm sure there are many differences of opinion beliefs and
01:12:26 differences of opinion beliefs and backgrounds represented in this process but these differences must not impede or be a barrier to understanding throughout history the voices of ordinary people
01:12:40 history the voices of ordinary people have been silenced and gone unheard this needs to
01:12:41 needs to change since the discovery that I've been targeted and abused by Vince Miller I've thought long and hard about the
01:12:57 I've thought long and hard about the past the simplest way for me to begin to unlock the bewildering sense of injury that I feel and to help me navigate a way through this whole process is to tell my story and share it as it is this is my
01:13:04 is my story I come from a large poor workingclass family my father was a lifelong socialist an active trade unionist and shop steward and was a committed
01:13:18 committed anti-fascist he was at the protest at Olympia in 1934 and at cable Street in 1936 where he joined thousands of EastEnders who fought to stop oswal Mosley and the
01:13:29 who fought to stop oswal Mosley and the British Union of fascists from marching into a largely Jewish area to intimidate and attack the
01:13:41 and attack the community in 1937 at the age of 18 my dad was also one of several thousand British men and women who went to Spain as volunteers to fight alongside the international brigades to support the
01:13:54 international brigades to support the Spanish Republic against the fascists during the Spanish Civil War he witnessed the obliteration of gika when Franco with Nazi help carried out an aerial bombing
01:14:06 out an aerial bombing attack back in the UK my father enlisted and joined the British army he saw the sympathy that many of the ruling class
01:14:17 sympathy that many of the ruling class had for Mosley and feared that if Hitler wasn't defeated fascism would take root here my father was an internationalist and a fighter for freedom in 1940 he was evacuated from the beach at Dunkirk
01:14:32 evacuated from the beach at Dunkirk while under intense German bombardment after Dunkirk my dad took part in the Burma campaign he was present at the Battle of kahema before he was invalided out with malaria dentry and
01:14:47 out with malaria dentry and PTSD memories of kahema haunted him for the rest of his life he couldn't talk about the war and he violence I'm hugely proud of my father and of the part he played in De defeating the forces of barbarism and helping to
01:14:58 forces of barbarism and helping to protect the people of this country during World War 2 and yet my dad would also have been regarded as subversive
01:15:10 also have been regarded as subversive and a dangerous extremist an adviser to Heath's government in the 1970s argued that militant shop stewards in Industry should be jailed in much the same way as the police should apprehend a common Thief confirming that even a
01:15:26 a common Thief confirming that even a man like my dad was seen as the Enemy Within by the ruling class my parents and my family's history have been hugely influence influential in shaping my own political
01:15:38 in shaping my own political views as I grew up I was aware that every advance for the working class was hard one and had been bitterly thoughtful history shows us that nothing has ever been granted from above it's
01:15:53 has ever been granted from above it's only through Collective action and the struggles of workers themselves that their lives have ever improved aware of
01:16:08 their lives have ever improved aware of the dangers to humanity posed by fascist and racist ideologies combined with a strong sense of Injustice I became politically active in my early teens my memories of my time in the swp involve attending and organizing branch and public meetings and endless
01:16:19 and public meetings and endless discussion and debate we were open and welcoming and we certainly have nothing to hide we leafleted and sold the
01:16:33 to hide we leafleted and sold the Socialist worker newspaper on the High Street on Estates on pickets and on demonstrations in other words we operated within the law in a perfectly peaceful and Democratic fashion Vince Miller first made contact with our
01:16:45 Miller first made contact with our Branch at the regular Saturday paper sale at the top of warstone
01:16:58 sale at the top of warstone market so why in spite of our holy legitimate activities was the swp heavily targeted by the security services and infiltrated by the SDS 17 spy cops were embedded in our party and yet in truth the biggest threat to democracy in the UK at this
01:17:13 threat to democracy in the UK at this time was not from the left but from the reinvigoration of fascism which once more began to emerge from the shadows and reveal its ugly face for those who remember the late
01:17:26 face for those who remember the late '70s it was a dark and very frightening time the parallels with the 1930s were Stark as unemployment Rose and far-right parties sought to capitalize on this
01:17:39 parties sought to capitalize on this crisis for political gain disillusioned and deprived urban communities in particular fell prey to the racist rhetoric and false patriotism of groups like The National front the NF a Nazi
01:17:56 like The National front the NF a Nazi group who paraded with the Union Jack but whose real Allegiance was to the swastika published images of Martin Webster and Colin Tindle leaders of the NF show them posing in fascist uniforms in front of pictures of Adolf Hitler in
01:18:09 in front of pictures of Adolf Hitler in public however they campaigned on issues of immigration control and Law and Order painting black people as muggers and
01:18:20 painting black people as muggers and criminals who should get back to their own country and characterizing Asian communities as unsanitary and riddled with
01:18:33 with disease as electoral support for the far right exploded the NF boasted a growing membership of 20,000 and launched a violent race war against black and Asian people across the
01:18:41 the UK between 1976 and 1981 31 suspected racist murders were committed and dozens of racist attacks
01:18:54 committed and dozens of racist attacks were carried out fully understanding the danger posed by the far right the left mobilized and campaigned against the NF and other fascist groups and challenged the vile hate they
01:19:08 the vile hate they spewed in response the fascists attacked the left with increasing violence attacking paper cellers and meetings and committing Arsen race today describes
01:19:20 committing Arsen race today describes the climate of spiraling racist attacks in the East End thus already the beatings the knifings the kickings are on the increase a few days ago a young Asian on his way home from work almost
01:19:31 Asian on his way home from work almost had his ear severed from his head by a gang of white knife wielding thugs the
01:19:42 gang of white knife wielding thugs the life of another young Asian hangs in the balance after he was bludgeoned by racists who broke into his flat on hearing of the murder of Gip sing chaga in 1976 John Kingsley Reed and elected
01:19:56 1976 John Kingsley Reed and elected National Party counselor said one down 1 million to go with acts of violent criminality and the fascist papers spearhead openly spouting anti-Semitism
01:20:11 spearhead openly spouting anti-Semitism Holocaust denial and National Socialist ideology and expressing The View that Britain fought on the wrong side in World War II one has to ask where was the monitoring of the far right by our security
01:20:21 security services the location of much racist violence Brick Lane itself couldn't be a more potent symbol and a target for
01:20:35 more potent symbol and a target for everything that fascist hate the blade bone pub at the top of the lane was a well-known H haunt of the NF every Sunday after the street market the fascists would get tanked up and rampaged down the lane attacking people and vandalizing shops after a woman and
01:20:51 and vandalizing shops after a woman and her daughter were attacked by a vicious dog trained to bite on command the community had to organize an act in self-defense patrols were set up to keep the area safe from racist attacks
01:21:02 the area safe from racist attacks particularly at night and after prayers the left responded to calls from members of the community to help protect Brick
01:21:17 of the community to help protect Brick Lane our presence was welcomed by locals reassured they had support and were not alone yeah hm 354 has described bricklane mark as heavily policed and
01:21:30 bricklane mark as heavily policed and the top of the lane as being the site of a to territorial disputes between the S swp and the NF over who could get to occupy the most advantageous spot to sell
01:21:41 sell papers his equivalence of the swp with the NF is telling he talks of staying overnight and securing the pitch and was heavily involved he heard the NF abuse and was aware of the threat
01:22:04 and was aware of the threat as many of the farri right were hardened Street Fighters the truth is that there was no heavy policing except perhaps when the swp was visible selling papers
01:22:06 papers interestingly sorry interestingly hn 354 doesn't report an attack which happened on route to Brick Lane involving the notorious
01:22:17 to Brick Lane involving the notorious fascist Derek day who boarded the bus that I was traveling on with other EST VP members and threatened us with violence Vince Miller would have been
01:22:30 violence Vince Miller would have been told about this so where are the reports was day being monitored and if not why not why was it down to the left to help protect our citizens with the police
01:22:43 protect our citizens with the police nowhere in sight sympathy towards the NF in the police has been evidenced a police report on the speech given by John Tindle at the NF March at leishan describes his delivery as for as ever
01:22:54 describes his delivery as for as ever but why is there no reporting of the end of the speech where Tindle says he would give the police authority to sort the
01:23:05 give the police authority to sort the red mob out accompanied by chance of if they're red shoot them dead I recall one Saturday selling papers at barking station in the week
01:23:18 papers at barking station in the week following a violent Sledgehammer attack on a young female s swp member by a fascist who broke her pelvis we were moved across the the road by the police to allow the NF to assemble jering NF members watched as a tall man who previously approached us in
01:23:31 tall man who previously approached us in a friendly manner to buy a paper came up behind me and snatched my papers calling me a red and telling me to off he then walked over to the police
01:23:43 off he then walked over to the police who had witnessed his act and proceeded
01:23:54 who had witnessed his act and proceeded to laugh and joke with them when I asked the police to do something they smirked and told me to go home was this man NF and why didn't the police protect me as a policeman Vince Miller had a duty of care to keep people safe yet Vince Miller must have known that my
01:24:10 Vince Miller must have known that my house described by him as an S WP dropin Center received a series of frightening phone calls where the word uvf short for the ster volunteer force was repeated
01:24:22 the ster volunteer force was repeated over and over again by an unknown voice and that shortly after my flatmate a Catholic of Irish descent was attacked by two NF skinners on upper Street in Islington who spotted his anti-nazi
01:24:34 Islington who spotted his anti-nazi League Badges and smashed him in the face with what my friend said look like the butt of a gun and broke his nose again where are the reports and
01:24:49 nose again where are the reports and what steps did hn 354 take to keep us safe or was real criminal Behavior
01:25:01 safe or was real criminal Behavior overlooked and ignored if directed to us while the uos focused on writing about meetings on William Morris and other such dangerous topics it's painful now to realize that while we all cared for Vince he cared so little for any of us contrary to supposed advice to not
01:25:14 us contrary to supposed advice to not get too close hn 354 embedded himself deeply into the life of our Branch for three years describing us as a social
01:25:30 three years describing us as a social and inclusive bunch he parted went to G gigs socialized in people's houses got drunk had sex and played guitar he became Treasurer was on the social
01:25:41 became Treasurer was on the social committee and in the industrial group in this boy's fantasy world of cover names Legends and spying I wonder how far these officers went and how much license they took
01:25:53 they took undercover hn 354 says he considered methods of surveillance like phone tapping and using informers was bugging also considered after all they had plenty of opportunity and access to our
01:26:07 plenty of opportunity and access to our homes even bedrooms as Vince the vampire can ATT test what private things could have been overheard and perhaps shared for no reason other than for entertainment and
01:26:18 entertainment and amusement and were other Sinister methods and behaviors used to deliberately intimidate and scare us it's the lies and fabrications committed over the years by the Spy cops
01:26:37 committed over the years by the Spy cops and their handlers that I consider to be the real subversion being uncovered by this inquiry it's their behavior that should be scrutinized not ours hn 354 filed a report that he attended a planning meeting of thep in leishan on the 12th of August
01:26:50 leishan on the 12th of August 1977 the night before March he states that bricks were stockpiled at various locations along the planned NF route by those present and that members of the
01:27:05 those present and that members of the swp carried weapons to the march in bags I was at the demo on the day and can State categorically that no one that I
01:27:20 State categorically that no one that I knew had weapons or would even have done such a thing it's an easy assertion for hn 3354 to make where is his evidence where are the names he states that at leishan he pulled his group away from violence this would imply that they were not committing
01:27:34 imply that they were not committing violent acts themselves and the hn 354 kept them safe but there is no rec report of the arrest of Vince Miller's fellow s swp member who had his arm broken that day by the actions of the
01:27:55 broken that day by the actions of the police this selective reporting seems to suggest a deliberate attempt to justify his employment and to blacken the name of the
01:27:57 of the swp the real story is that while these uos were enjoying the perks of the job and attempting to destabilize the left
01:28:09 and attempting to destabilize the left discrediting and possibly criminalizing the swp they were not keeping anyone safe and they were not fulfilling their duty of care they were in reality
01:28:26 duty of care they were in reality undermining the efforts to fight Fascism and to combat racism by the only forces mobilizing to protect communities and defeat those evils this view of the role of the swp in this fight was endorsed two days
01:28:37 in this fight was endorsed two days after Lean by Philip kman of the Jewish Chronicle who said of the NF when it marches through an area with a large immigrant population its purpose is the same as that of Mosley's back shirts to
01:28:49 same as that of Mosley's back shirts to stir up communal Strife with hope of of reaping an electoral advantage and that whatever their defects the trotskyists
01:29:03 whatever their defects the trotskyists have the right attitude to the National front and should not be left alone to stop its
01:29:08 stop its provocations the Battle of lewisham is now rightly considered a watershed moment like cable Street in the fight against fascism in this country unable
01:29:22 against fascism in this country unable to control the streets the NF went into Decline and the event is now proud be remembered and commemorated as the moment when the far right Was Defeated and is seen as a symbol of a community
01:29:33 and is seen as a symbol of a community coming together to say yes to Black and White unity and no to the forces of hate it seems only right that my story shall End by telling how it felt when I was approached by the inquiry and the
01:29:48 was approached by the inquiry and the emotional impact that these Revelations of spying and deception have had
01:29:57 early one Saturday morning at the end of February 2020 I received an unexpected visit from a solicitor acting on behalf of the undercover policing
01:30:08 of the undercover policing inquiry my husband answered the door and I heard a man's voice asking if I lived at this address feeling slightly alarmed I listened as my husband asked what it was about and the man replied that it
01:30:19 was about and the man replied that it concerned a highly confidential matter that could only be disclosed to me and that he had a private letter that he needed to give to me I joined my husband and told the very serious looking
01:30:35 and told the very serious looking soberly dressed man that it's okay we're married we don't have any secrets and that he could speak freely to both of us I felt the wave of anxiety and stress
01:30:46 I felt the wave of anxiety and stress wash over me was I be about to be given some terrible and tragic news the solicitor asked me if I
01:30:57 news the solicitor asked me if I recognized the name Vince Miller I said yes and during the increasingly unreal conversation that followed I told him
01:31:08 conversation that followed I told him that Vince and I had a relationship over 40 years ago when we were both members of the same s swp branch which ended when he unexpectedly left to go to America the solicor revealed the truth
01:31:19 America the solicor revealed the truth that the name Vince Miller was in fact an alias used by an undercover police officer who had infiltrated us I received this news with a sense of shock mixed with disbelief it felt hard to reconcile this Revelation with my
01:31:33 to reconcile this Revelation with my memories of the man I knew or to absorve the fact that he was a police spy I'd always thought of Vince with fondness my memory of him was of a lovely attractive but emotionally vulnerable guy who
01:31:46 but emotionally vulnerable guy who because of his experience of heartbreak and fear of being hurt found it difficult to maintain close Rel relationships with with women I sometimes wondered what had happened to him after he disappeared
01:31:59 happened to him after he disappeared from my life and hoped that he'd found happiness in his at the time of my relationship with Vince I was also ex very vulnerable having recently
01:32:10 very vulnerable having recently separated from my first husband who become extremely abusive however I now know that the Vince Miller I thought I knew doesn't actually exist he is a holy constructed
01:32:23 actually exist he is a holy constructed fiction a fake ident identity used as a tool for the purposes of political surveillance sanctioned by the state which infiltrated the most intimate parts of my body and my life the initial revelation of the true
01:32:37 life the initial revelation of the true identity of a man with whom I'd enjoyed an intimate sexual relationship and shared thoughts and feelings of a deeply private nature led me feeling nauseous
01:32:51 private nature led me feeling nauseous and revolted I felt degraded and abused and continued to feel a real sense of violation
01:32:55 violation I feel that both feel that both my trust and my values have been betrayed by an agent of the state that my lifelong and deeply held beliefs and convictions have been exploited and used against me in
01:33:08 been exploited and used against me in the most cynical and exploitative way for the purposes of surveillance after this first shocking disclosure I was uncertain that I wanted any further involvement with the
01:33:19 any further involvement with the ucpi I felt that it would inevitably be a whitewash with no satisfactory outcome for the victims of undercover
01:33:31 for the victims of undercover spying I was afraid that I or my family could be doorstepped by the police by the Press I'm sorry and that I would be made to feel even more exposed and
01:33:42 made to feel even more exposed and vulnerable by further intrusions into my privacy but I was informed that during the course of Vince Miller's deployment intelligence had been gathered about me and that documents exist Ed which I could only see if I agreed to sign a
01:34:04 could only see if I agreed to sign a restriction order that prevented me from sharing or discussing that intelligence with anyone to me this feels totally wrong it's an affront to my sensibilities as a person who's committed no crimes and has been the victim of this state sanctioned abuse of my human
01:34:15 my human rights the knowledge that the state holds secret files on me filled me with anxiety and a sense of par I wanted to know exactly what was in those files what information was held
01:34:28 those files what information was held and what details of a personal nature do they contain and how personal are in and
01:34:40 they contain and how personal are in and intrusive are those details I would like to ask the chair how would you feel if you found yourself in this appalling situation my mind was certainly running Riot I was imagining all kinds of things
01:34:58 Riot I was imagining all kinds of things and felt I needed to see those documents for my own peace of mind on receiving those files I open them with shaking hands and a pounding Hearts usually fairly calm and collected I admit to reading them with great trepidation and
01:35:11 anxiety not knowing and Imagining the worst is acutely distressing it's wrong that other women victims of these crimes have so far been denied access to their
01:35:22 have so far been denied access to their files and to see what information their abusers have written about them many category H women have now been waiting for many years I think that this is extremely
01:35:34 extremely cruel memories of Vince Miller had until recently been part of my very distant past memories which have been processed assimilated and accepted as genuine but now these memories have been shattered
01:35:46 now these memories have been shattered and the past has come crashing into my pres in the viest possible way what I had considered considered to be true is now revealed as false facts
01:35:57 be true is now revealed as false facts turned out to be lies and people are not who I thought they were Vince Miller was not a like-minded comrade and former lover fighting alongside me to create a better world he was a state
01:36:08 was a state spy the cognitive dissonance created by this whole experience makes me sometimes feel that I'm inhabiting a shadow World populated by malevolent Phantoms and
01:36:20 populated by malevolent Phantoms and spooks the files that I have seen do contain information of a very intrusive and personal nature revealing detailed physical descriptions of me information
01:36:38 physical descriptions of me information about my employment my wages my address and the details of my first marriage which happened prior to Miller's deployment how exactly did hn 354 get that information I
01:36:51 that information I wonder Vince Miller has admitted to four sexual relationships during his depl employment while undercover and has admitted to his relationship with me but has disputed my version of events which incidently makes me all the more
01:37:03 incidently makes me all the more relieved than I came forward to stand up and be counted in my mind a very different image of Vince is emerging from the one that I remember an increasingly cold calculating calculating sexist version of a man is
01:37:16 calculating sexist version of a man is being revealed very different from the man I knew or thought I knew I find that extremely
01:37:28 extremely upsetting now the thought of hearing his real voice and seeing him give evidence is really
01:37:29 is really unsettling the implications of some of the disclosures made by Vince Miller are also deeply offensive and revelatory describing the night we first got together he stated that I that I
01:37:45 got together he stated that I that I unexpectedly invited him to my bedroom after we'd both been drinking what exactly is he trying to say that I was drunk and looking for a random man to have sex with this is a deliberately untrue
01:37:57 with this is a deliberately untrue misrepresentation of the events of that evening when hours earlier he had pulled me onto his lap at a party then chatted and flirted before taking me home and sleeping with
01:38:09 sleeping with me I've also discovered to my horror that MI5 have had fils on me since 1970 when I was a girl of 16 this is shameful
01:38:22 when I was a girl of 16 this is shameful most people would consider a 16-year-old little more than a child I was very young when I first became politically active in leftwing groups knowing that the SDS was formed in 1968 and the extensive spying was
01:38:34 1968 and the extensive spying was already happening has led me to wonder if I was spied on as early as 13 when I was still at school which other Spooks besides Vince
01:38:47 school which other Spooks besides Vince Miller have I been exposed to who spied on me before his deployment and when exactly did the spying on me start and with what
01:38:57 with what justification what events in my life led to this
01:38:59 to this intrusion I can I can see in the files that I'm subject of something redacted
01:39:11 that I'm subject of something redacted what has been hidden from me am I still being spied on if not when did it stop it's chilling and Sinister and I now wonder what other fictions have been perpetrated against others I love my family and friends and
01:39:27 others I love my family and friends and have had to consider what hidden impact this may have had on the course of Our Lives hn 354 has even reported on the pregnancy of a woman in our branch and the name her baby was to be given this went straight to MI5 was this unborn
01:39:40 went straight to MI5 was this unborn baby given a security services file was my child given a registry file to I find the possibility that this could happen frightening and totally
01:39:54 frightening and totally disgusting I also feel deep anger at the terrible Revelations of psychological trauma and systematic abuse perpetrated
01:40:07 trauma and systematic abuse perpetrated by state agents which in many cases are totally off the scale of decent human behavior I praise the courage and tenacity shown by the other category H women in pursuing the truth of what happened and exposing this whole sorted
01:40:20 happened and exposing this whole sorted crime this has been at a huge emotional cost to them eles as their stories reveal a depth of Deceit and fraud which is truly
01:40:30 is truly shocking I find it outrageous and deeply offensive to realize that while regarding us as subversive dangerous
01:40:41 regarding us as subversive dangerous extremists we've been Target we've been targeted and that relationships have been used as a tool for State surveillance via the invasion of our lives and
01:40:50 lives and bodies mere collateral damage in the purs of what I feel is totally unjustified intelligence gathering the very language used to describe us is both degrading and dehumanizing and
01:41:01 both degrading and dehumanizing and reveals real institutional misogyny and sexism and a to laap of empathy with law abiding citizens exercising their Democratic
01:41:12 Democratic rights I wonder how much Vince Miller contributed to the prevailing culture within the Metropolitan Police at that time and
01:41:29 time and since we know hn 354 Rose through the ranks was he supervising under other other undercover offices despite what he did and probably with the full knowledge that others were doing it too did he encourage others to do the same we need to keep in mind that
01:41:44 do the same we need to keep in mind that I have no criminal record and I've never been arrested I was a member of a legal organization which was neither a banned group or a criminal exercise Enterprise nor were we engaged in
01:41:55 Enterprise nor were we engaged in Terrorist Acts or violence we were involved in holy legitimate activity the knowledge that individuals participating in lawful Democratic political activity
01:42:15 in lawful Democratic political activity could be spied on and end up with an MI5 file could act as a deterrent to their involvement spying essentially undermines our democracy this is also significantly impacted my husband the secrecy imposed by the Restriction order has meant that
01:42:26 by the Restriction order has meant that I've been unable to share or discuss the contents of the files even with him this has been this has effectively cut off a
01:42:39 has been this has effectively cut off a degree of emotional support for us both I want to end with this request I want all information surrounding these events in my life to be made available to me and that any information held about me
01:42:52 and that any information held about me is subsequent destroyed and removed from archives I want written proof of this because I believe that democracy is very fragile and my greatest fear is that
01:43:07 fragile and my greatest fear is that should this country fall to some extreme non-democratic regime the information held on me and others all totally innocent of any crimes could put us in extreme
01:43:17 extreme danger with regard to the way that the undercover officers are treated I believe that they should be given no leeway for their behavior and that any allowances made to them because of their position or role in society will be
01:43:29 position or role in society will be exploited by them in order to cover themselves we must also remember that these officers have been highly trained in how to lie manipulate and
01:43:44 in how to lie manipulate and deceive I did not expect that consenting to participate mainly with the aim of getting to the truth and making people accountable for their actions that it would be so stressful and challenging I'm now dreading the
01:43:57 challenging I'm now dreading the upcoming Hearing in which I'll give oral evidence I feel nervous at the possibility of any cross-examination being combative and challenging given that Vince Miller's statement of these events differs significantly from my own
01:44:12 events differs significantly from my own clear Recollections nevertheless I would like again to thank the chair for inviting my participation in this inquiry I hope that my contribution proves you use ful in helping him to uncover the truth thank
01:44:33 uncover the truth thank you thank you may I say in response to one of your last comments about your inability to talk to your husband frankly and freely about what you have
01:44:44 frankly and freely about what you have been shown the purpose of the original imposition was in part to protect the Privacy rights of others I as a data controller am obliged to do that uh the legislation is now complicated and restricted but I will ensure that the
01:44:58 restricted but I will ensure that the inquiries lawyers get in touch with your lawyers to ensure that you can talk freely to your husband about what you have
01:45:13 have seen thank you very much thank you thank you thank you we will now adjourn for quarter of an hour and resume at 10 to 12 thank
01:45:19 you
01:45:28 we will now take a 15minute break the time is now 11:35 a.m. so we shall reconvene at 11:50 a.m. thank
01:45:49 you
02:00:09 welcome back everyone I shall now hand over to the chairman to continue proceedings chairman thank you Miss
02:00:23 C good morning sir this opening statement is made on behalf of all category H core participants we're relate addition to this part of tranch one our participation having been permitted as a
02:00:37 participation having been permitted as a result of representations to the inquiry when it was becoming increasingly clear that during the 1970s more than a few officers engaged in sexual relationships in their undercover identities both with activists who they were spying on or
02:00:50 activists who they were spying on or with with women they met using those undercover identities until very recently the category H core participants had been led to believe that the numbers were relatively small they knew about Rick
02:01:01 relatively small they knew about Rick Gibson because in 2018 Mary disclosed the Su the sexual relationships he'd had with her and with her flatmate during this period and some of the officers
02:01:17 this period and some of the officers applications for anonymity such as hn 302 and hn 354 that's Vince Miller who we've just heard about from madelin um had disclosed what they claimed were very shortlived
02:01:32 shortlived relationships however the picture that has emerged in the documents and statements is altogether different uh as you've heard from the inquiry in opening and just now from madlin in relation to Vince Miller he admitted four not two sexual
02:01:46 admitted four not two sexual relationships and in addition to the three officers I I've just mentioned
02:02:00 three officers I I've just mentioned there are five more who are known to or believed to have had relationships all of them in a short span of about five years the documents disclosed also shockingly indicate that at least one officer hn 300 that's Jim pford and maybe even two h67 Alan Bond had
02:02:16 maybe even two h67 Alan Bond had children with women that they had originally spied on so this early part of the SS's existence is of vital interest not only to the women who were deceived by undercover offices in this period but to
02:02:30 undercover offices in this period but to all the category H core participants the practices and the culture which began to be laid down during this period obviously have potentially profound
02:02:48 obviously have potentially profound implications for what happened later on and also demonstrate the systemic and long running
02:02:55 sexism which infested this unit allowing officers and their superiors to think it was acceptable to engage in such abusive practices before I move on to address that emerging culture and practice I
02:03:11 that emerging culture and practice I want to make some observations about the inquirer's approach to the evidence of sexual relationships and the women who've been affected as you've heard from meline she wasn't contacted by contacted by the in quiry until February of 2020 and it wasn't until December of
02:03:26 2020 and it wasn't until December of 2020 that she was put in touch by the inquiry with a firm of solicitors bernberg Pierce who could help her to participate and this was despite the fact that her identity was revealed by Miller to his risk assessors when he
02:03:41 Miller to his risk assessors when he sought anonymity and was available to the inquiry when you uh chair issued your minder two note in on the 15th of January of 20 2018
02:03:53 why did the inquiry take so long to contact meline and why when it did so was so little thought given to the care
02:04:04 was so little thought given to the care that would be required in making contact for example as you've heard contrary to the inquiries undertaking made in December 2018 that the contact would be
02:04:20 December 2018 that the contact would be made by a female member of the inquiries team a male member delivered the letter to her and why did it provide her with so little help to find the legal assistance she required including by providing her with details of police spies out of lives again something it had undertaken
02:04:33 lives again something it had undertaken to do in this instance when it met with the category H core participants in July of
02:04:44 2018 when he gave his account to the risk assessors Miller was unable to remember at that point the name of the other member of the swp that he had
02:04:59 other member of the swp that he had admitted to having a sexual relationship with but he did later recall that name and he provided it to the inquiry in February of 2018 if it is only now three years later that steps are being taken to Tracer why has the inquiry failed so
02:05:19 Tracer why has the inquiry failed so profoundly to address her right to know and to be involved should she choose in trying to uncover the abused on her also of concern is the inquiries apparent indifference to the sexual
02:05:33 apparent indifference to the sexual Relationships by officers perpetrated under the deception of their cover identities with women who were not the targets of their deployment when Miller sought
02:05:44 deployment when Miller sought anonymity he doesn't didn't just admit the two
02:05:49 the two relationships with s swp members which was disclosed by the inquiry to core participants in the anonymity process he actually admitted two full sexual relationships two of which he said were
02:06:00 relationships two of which he said were with women who he was not spying on the inquiry withheld these other admissions as though somehow he had a right to
02:06:12 as though somehow he had a right to privacy over those abusive encounters encounters which took place in circumstances where he had deceived these two women using his cover identity those women didn't know the truth that
02:06:26 those women didn't know the truth that the Persona presented was entirely false and that he was in truth the police officer when they consented to sexual intimacy with him they they didn't know that they were sleeping with someone for whom this was a perk of his
02:06:39 whom this was a perk of his job this may well not be the only occasion on which the inquiry has
02:06:51 occasion on which the inquiry has treated evidence of sexual relationships while officers were using their cover identity is as irrelevant or as a private matter for the officer concerned it's entirely possible given the approach that was taken to Vince Miller that there are other
02:07:03 Miller that there are other cases there is therefore this further implication that the category H core participants have no idea whether other officers have admitted to having sexual relationships using their cover
02:07:16 relationships using their cover identities with women they were not not spying on and it goes without saying that if s such admissions have been made they should not be taken at face
02:07:30 they should not be taken at face value the admitted relationships May in fact have been with activists because we know officers have lied in precisely this way before for example Jim boing who had a relationship
02:07:47 example Jim boing who had a relationship with later married and had children with Rosa provided a statement in 2011 when an investigation was commen by the metropolitan police following his having been
02:08:01 having been outed in which he claimed that Rosa was working as a waitress when he had met her and had nothing to do with his Target group a complete pack of Lies but even if those relationships that have been admitted were with women who were not active in the political movements the officer was
02:08:13 movements the officer was infiltrating the category H core participants are gravely concerned that the in quiry does not recognize that
02:08:26 the in quiry does not recognize that every deception practiced by an officer using their undercover identity to engage in sexual relationships constitutes serious wrongdoing on the part of the officer and a grave violation of the rights of the women concerned and it needs to be openly
02:08:45 concerned and it needs to be openly investigated the inquiry has refused to tell the category H core participants whether it has taken any steps to contact the four women that Vince Miller and hn 21 have admitted to having sexual relationships with who the officers say were not
02:09:07 were not activists we do take on board Council to the inquiry's comments on this issue in their opening statement that even such relationships are a matter for investigation that is that they are not excluding the need to investigate such relationships but that they will not investigate every relationship that in
02:09:21 investigate every relationship that in some cases they cannot because the women don't wish to be involved or to do so would engage an officer but that doesn't
02:09:34 would engage an officer but that doesn't explain why Miller's admissions of these relationships were not disclosed in the first place it doesn't explain why the inquiry cannot be open to the women about whether it has taken steps to contact other women and if it hasn't why it hasn't and if it has and the women
02:09:51 it hasn't and if it has and the women have said they don't want to be involved there is no reason why any of that cannot be
02:09:56 cannot be disclosed the group of women in catgory age have experienced serious abuse at the hands of the state trust is a major issue and such a lack of transparency and open openness is not only
02:10:12 and open openness is not only unnecessary but it is detrimental to their
02:10:16 their well-being it really creates anxiety and distrust and fear and fails to recognize the particular care that needs to be
02:10:29 the particular care that needs to be taken in relation to the investigation of this
02:10:30 of this issue finally the category H Corp participants wish to reiterate their
02:10:42 participants wish to reiterate their concern about the inquiry's approach to restriction orders protecting the real and all cover identities of officers we know the when you sir restricted disclosure of Vince
02:11:01 sir restricted disclosure of Vince Miller's name you did so knowing that he had admitted to two relationships with different female activists so you described these as fleeting Vince Miller having stated that he only slept with each woman on a single
02:11:17 single occasion what is notable is you accepted that characterization at face value and you also not these fleeting sexual relationships occurred before Miller's marriage presumably to emphasize that there was no betrayal of a wife but so far as the
02:11:28 no betrayal of a wife but so far as the deception and betrayal of the two women were concerned you simply said that the deployment appeared to be unremarkable and concluded that disclosing the real name of Vince Miller would
02:11:41 name of Vince Miller would unjustifiably interfere with the respect for his private and family life since receiving madelin and vce
02:11:52 life since receiving madelin and vce Miller's statements you have ruled that the Restriction order in relation to Vince Miller's real name must be revoked and we welcome that you've done so not withstanding that you still believe or did at the time that you
02:12:06 believe or did at the time that you revoked the Restriction order that Vince Miller has told the truth while as you've heard this is not accepted by Madeline it's not at all clear what has led to your change of mind other than
02:12:22 led to your change of mind other than the fact that one of the women activists Miller deceived into a relationship is now participating in the inquiry the category H core participants asked why should this make a
02:12:34 asked why should this make a difference this officer admitted to two holy improper relationships with activists as long ago as 2018 and we know he also admitted to two holy improper relationships with
02:12:46 improper relationships with non-activists given this admitted wrongdoing what justification did he have from that point in time to maintain his anonymity by reference to his private
02:13:07 by reference to his private life the category H core participants wish to reiterate that whenever an officer has engaged in sexual relationships while undercover they have forfeited any right to anonymity and they should be treated
02:13:18 to anonymity and they should be treated by the inquiry as having done so none of the officers claim that it was an
02:13:30 the officers claim that it was an authorized part of their deployment none of them even claim that they needed to engage in these relationships for any reason connected to their deployment they were clearly gratuitous grossly abusive invasions of the
02:13:39 the privacy and other rights of the women that they deceive nothing less any officer who has made such an admission or is otherwise identified as having had a sexual relationship
02:13:51 a sexual relationship should be named both in their cover name and their real names yet the inquiry is clearly not taking this call so the case of
02:13:57 of hn2 provides a good example we understand from the inquiry that the disclosure that he engaged in sexual count encounters with two women on a couple of occasions that included having
02:14:15 couple of occasions that included having sex with one of the women that admission was made in his witness statement dated the 4th of November of 2019 yet there's been no revocation or
02:14:27 yet there's been no revocation or revisiting so far as we are aware of the real and cover name restriction orders granted to him why
02:14:31 him why not the excessive approach of the inquiry in respective restriction orders also extends to its approach to the evidence of the officers who have the benefit of such restriction
02:14:47 benefit of such restriction orders the trench one part one inquiry process
02:14:48 process involved providing extracts from the statements of these officers so that each officer was identifiable by their Cipher as the maker of the disclosed
02:15:05 Cipher as the maker of the disclosed extracts from their statements that is quoted passages uh complete quoted passages from their statements that practice has totally altered for part two we have no extracts from statements instead we have a short
02:15:17 from statements instead we have a short gist which consists of a blending of the officer's account and Save in exceptional State cases no attribution of any account to a particular officer which makes it impossible to know which officer is
02:15:32 impossible to know which officer is addressing a particular point which then makes it impossible uh to Target questions sensibly at officers because we don't know for example what period
02:15:43 we don't know for example what period the offic served in uh and who they were who were their fellow officers this really means that the gist is is rendered largely worthless and there's no conceivable reason why
02:16:00 there's no conceivable reason why disclosure for example of the training the officers received how they were supervised their own engagement in sexual relationships or their knowledge of any such Relationships by others officers could possibly lead to their identification so there's no problem
02:16:14 identification so there's no problem about attribution of those matters to them
02:16:15 them equally there is no reason for gisting that evidence that evidence could have been given as it was in tran one by
02:16:26 been given as it was in tran one by actually extracting those parts of their statements in which they say
02:16:40 it I I I make it clear now that when it comes to the process of those officers giving
02:16:41 giving evidence in it is foreseen by the inquiry at this point in time closed hearing he ings the category H core
02:16:53 hearing he ings the category H core participants will be F pushing hard for further openness for them to give evidence that can be given openly openly nothing less in our submission is consistent with this inquiry putting
02:17:14 consistent with this inquiry putting into closed only that which is strictly necessary to protect the officers from [Music]
02:17:20 [Music] identification I want now Now to turn to what we know of the relationships officers engaged in during this decade before then looking at how it was allowed to happen as I've already indicated the
02:17:33 happen as I've already indicated the documentation disclosed reveals that from the middle part of the decade onwards early to middle part up to eight officers had sexual relationships while undercover three of those officers were
02:17:47 undercover three of those officers were deployed in the early to mid part of the decade in a batch a third batch of officers recruited into the SDS and the remaining five were among what appears to have been the fourth batch deployed in about
02:18:03 1978 the number of women deceived by them obviously greatly exceeds the number of officers doing the deceiving because as has been noted some officers admitted to multiple relationships
02:18:19 admitted to multiple relationships Council to the Aquarian in their opening estimated that there were 12 women who were received it could well have been many
02:18:19 many [Music]
02:18:25 [Music] more among that third badge there was hn 302 Rick Gibson hn 297 and Jim pford hn 300
02:18:34 300 h302 who has the benefit of a real and cover name restriction order commenced his deployment sometime in 197
02:18:45 his deployment sometime in 197 1973 and in his impact statement he admitted to one sexual encounter at the very beginning of his deployment with a woman who was on the periphery of
02:18:57 woman who was on the periphery of another group that is not the group he was deployed in to Target he said at the time he was a single man both in his real life and as part of his cover identity in the gist
02:19:12 part of his cover identity in the gist we've received now of the statement for this
02:19:16 this part uh he add a little bit more detail he says I quote after a couple of meetings I developed a friendship with a woman we had a drink after one of the meetings and then we went back to my cover
02:19:26 cover accommodation again he says he was a single man both in his real life and cover identity he says it didn't go further than that night I did not come across her again in my deployment I did not set out to sleep with anyone but the
02:19:39 not set out to sleep with anyone but the circumstances presented themselves to me and I did not say no having a drink with this woman did bolster my cover identity but the fact that we ended up having sex did not at least in my view provide any
02:19:54 did not at least in my view provide any additional benefit in terms of cover and that is not why I did it it was not necessary to sleep with anyone to have a well-rounded cover identity it was not something my management told me to do
02:20:08 something my management told me to do and I did not speak to my managers about it afterwards I did not think it was necessary to do so as it was not relevant to any instructions or training I had received it's important to note here that even though the officer says
02:20:20 here that even though the officer says the woman was not from his Target group uh she was plainly an activist Rick Gibson had a sexual relationship with four women Mary as I've already mentioned and her flat maate that happened sometime in
02:20:32 maate that happened sometime in 1975 and the two other relationships occurred later they were both involved with big
02:20:45 with big flame um and uh it's clear that he spoke to others about this relationship so again from the GED account he told an officer that he'd had a couple of relationships with females in his cover identity that had led to him
02:20:59 his cover identity that had led to him being compromised the impression he gave was that these were casual and short-term Liaisons although I cannot recall precisely what was said says this officer he goes on I recall uh that she
02:21:14 officer he goes on I recall uh that she said the two females were close friends who uh lived together the difference I drew was that he was telling one female one story and another a different story and that the stories didn't match and that led to his being
02:21:27 that led to his being exposed now it's right Rick Gibson did have his cover blown this was by members of big flame uh the organization to
02:21:39 of big flame uh the organization to which these two women belong um uh and as a result of their suspicions they found both the birth and death certificate of the Dead child whose identity Gibson had assumed it may well be that the GED officer was right and that it was the
02:21:56 officer was right and that it was the two women from Big Plame flame who part played a part or were responsible for ultimately identifying that he was a police
02:22:07 identifying that he was a police officer in their opening statement which is going to be delivered tomorrow Mary and Richard chesan will provide much much more detail about what appears exceptionally among this group in this decade to have been the Strategic nature of these sexual
02:22:22 Employments hn 300 it would appear that this officer fell in love with a woman a woman he was spying
02:22:37 spying on uh an officer whose evidence is again GED says that he tearfully told me he'd fallen in love with a lady associated with his group he was beside himself because he wanted to tell her everything including his undercover role which he realized uh would seriously impact upon the the entire SDS
02:22:52 the the entire SDS operation the officer contacted that is the officer he spoke to contacted the SDS office with hn 300's agreement and then acted as a conduit between hm300 and his
02:23:02 and his managers hn 300's family has also provided evidence to the inquiry which discloses that his wife at the time
02:23:15 discloses that his wife at the time discovered the relationship and as a consequence the marriage broke down hm300 then continued the Rel relationship with the woman he' met and targeted while undercover after his deployment ceased and they actually had a child together that relationship also
02:23:26 a child together that relationship also broke down later on and the woman moved away as we understand it the inquiry has tried but been unable to track her down there is it seems no official
02:23:38 there is it seems no official documentation that's been preserved that relates to any of this turning now to the fourth batch of officers these were the ones recruited in the latter part of the70s is we know
02:23:51 in the latter part of the70s is we know or suspect that at least five had sexual relationships as noted hn 21 um who was believed to have been deployed in 78 admitted to engaging in
02:24:06 deployed in 78 admitted to engaging in occasional sex encounters with two women he met at an evening class in his cover identity including on a couple of occasions having sex with one of those women hn 106 Barry Tomkins is mentioned in a security service note for a
02:24:19 in a security service note for a liaison this officer was deployed after 1978 the security liaison note mentions that he probably bedded an individual who from the context was cleanly
02:24:30 who from the context was cleanly somebody he was spying on and the note says that his bosses have warned him off in his witness statement Tomkins denied denies this and he characterizes the
02:24:43 denies this and he characterizes the comment in the security service note as a flippant remark Tomkins isn't being C called and it's far from clear to what extent if any the inquiry will be adducing evidence from those who are able to
02:24:58 evidence from those who are able to speak to whether the remark was flippant as he attests or not Vince Miller who we've heard had a relationship with Madeline started his deployment in
02:25:14 deployment in 76 uh he admits to four relationships as we've already heard or beard he has clearly lied about their extent he sought to minimize the extent of his abusive Behavior with meline he sought
02:25:27 abusive Behavior with meline he sought to blame his conduct on alcohol stating that each occasion he had a sexual encounter with any woman he was drunk he puts forward in relation to Madeline a positive accounts that he only ever slept with her once and the difference between his account and
02:25:44 difference between his account and Madeline's is simply not something that can be attributed to the impact of the passage of time on two people who are genuinely trying to recollect events of 40 years ago as the inquiry in its recent decision to disclose Miller's
02:25:58 recent decision to disclose Miller's real name real name does appear to do their re Recollections are entirely inconsistent neither of them entertains that they might have forgotten the
02:26:10 that they might have forgotten the central question of how often they were intimate Miller is adamant it was only once they give totally different accounts of how that first encounter occurred and Miller is absolutely abely
02:26:24 occurred and Miller is absolutely abely clear uh sorry and meline is absolutely clear that it was many more occasions than this single first night over a period that spanned a few months and it
02:26:43 period that spanned a few months and it was notable that on each occasion Miller would not stay the night and and and we will see um a diary entry that meline kept which puts the matter we submit Beyond
02:26:44 Beyond doubt Phil Cooper hn1
02:26:56 doubt Phil Cooper hn1 155 he admitted to officers who assessed the risk to him uh when he was applying anonymity should his identity be revealed of having a number of sexual relationships with a women he was spying on he said they were short-lived he
02:27:07 on he said they were short-lived he sought to justify them on the basis that he needed to live and I quote a full alternative lifestyle uh he said they took place with women who wanted to sleep with someone close to the s swp
02:27:21 sleep with someone close to the s swp Central Committee uh a place where he had managed very successfully to infiltrate initially he said there were only two or three such women and such encounters but later he said there may
02:27:40 encounters but later he said there may have been more he stated they were not done to enhance his deployment he now denies ever having said any of this
02:27:42 this hm67 Alan
02:27:44 hm67 Alan Bond who appears to have been deployed in the field in late 1981 and therefore we understand that evidence relating to
02:27:55 we understand that evidence relating to his deployment will be received in tran 2 he admitted in his application for anonymity to a fleeting sexual account encounter in his cover name with a woman he says was not a member of his Target group yet from questions that the
02:28:08 group yet from questions that the inquiry has asked of officers orbe no disclosure has so far been provided to support this it appears that hn
02:28:20 support this it appears that hn 67 may have fathered a child with someone he met during his deployment he and Vince Miller lived together in the 1970s before Vince Miller was deployed into the
02:28:33 Miller was deployed into the SDS and no doubt they remain good friends during their respective deployment likely spoke about what they were up to but Vince Miller denies knowing anything about Alan Bond's sexual activities while
02:28:44 sexual activities while undercover after his deployment in the field had finished Bond was promoted to detective
02:28:57 detective inspector and was second in operational command in the SDS for three years in the
02:29:03 the 1990s what sexual relationships Bond had when he himself was in the field the response of his superiors to his own
02:29:16 response of his superiors to his own conduct and those of his fellow officers is obviously critical to a proper examination of his own conduct when he later came to manage 19 undercover officers who served under him in the 90s including several
02:29:32 under him in the 90s including several who are of significant interest to this inquiry these are likely to have included officers who engaged in
02:29:51 included officers who engaged in Intimate sexual relationships themselves including hn1 Matt Raina hn2 Andy Davy hn5 John Barker or dimes and hn 78 Anthony Bobby Lewis as no documents have been disclosed in relation to bond it's difficult uh for the inquiry to put potentially relevant questions to
02:30:02 potentially relevant questions to officers in phase two such as Vince Miller who shared a flat with him before they were deployed into the field
02:30:15 field hm126 that's Paul Gray was deployed between 19 1977 and July 1982 he might have been another who engaged in sexual activities using his undercover
02:30:33 undercover identity at the time of his deployment a letter was written to The NPS alleging that he had an affair with a fellow officer the force investigated and believed that it was written by his wife their concern about the letter was
02:30:47 their concern about the letter was entirely directed towards ensuring that she didn't compromise the under cover operations not with discovering what this officer had been up to Paul Gray doesn't address the accusation in his W witness statement and the category H
02:30:58 witness statement and the category H core participants ask why not given that the investigation at the time found that the allegations in the letter were and I
02:31:12 the allegations in the letter were and I quote not totally accurate which implies that there was some truth in them it's entirely possible that he did have an an extramarital relationship though not with a fellow officer but with somebody that he was spying on so in the course
02:31:32 that he was spying on so in the course of that 5year period we know that almost one in three officers deployed by the SCS had a sexual relationship the practice was plainly
02:31:44 relationship the practice was plainly becoming endemic it is a huge indictment on the organization and the question of how and why this was allowed to happen is plainly critical not just to get uh to the truth of what went on at that
02:31:58 to the truth of what went on at that time but to uncover the evolving culture um uh that embedded itself and the practices that were adopted which then informed the units operations over the ensuing
02:32:08 ensuing decade it's therefore of particular concern that the inquiry will only be calling one of the officers known to
02:32:20 calling one of the officers known to have had a sexual relationship to give evidence in this part of the inquiry that's lince Miller given that the Revelation that officers had engaged in such relationships while undercover is in significant part what led to the
02:32:35 significant part what led to the establishment of the inquiry it does beggar belief that the inquiry has chosen to proceed with so little examination of the very officers who did so there's no question that
02:32:46 so there's no question that institutional sexism played a pivotal part in the emergence of the culture that began to Fester within the unit the SDS was plagued by institutional sexism
02:33:03 SDS was plagued by institutional sexism at this time as was The Wider society in which it operated there are multiple examples of this including in the officer's reports for example uh uh rating women's attractiveness and the size of their
02:33:14 attractiveness and the size of their breasts and also in relation to how the unit operated with respect to other classes of women including those that one would expect uh or one would assume
02:33:27 one would expect uh or one would assume were considered to be their own uh such as the wives of officers or their own female
02:33:28 female deployments those officers who were married or in long-term relationships are all clear that no account was taken of the like likely impact of the deployment on their wives and families
02:33:48 deployment on their wives and families uh save it would seem in the case of hn 96 hn 106 and another unidentified GED officer the wives of fellow officers were never spoken to by managers and supervisors either before or during the
02:34:03 supervisors either before or during the deployments as noted in the case of Paul Gray hm126 wife when managers believed that she was the author of a report alleging he'd been having an affair no account was taken of her welfare and the truth of her allegations the sole concern was to ensure that she didn't compromise the
02:34:15 compromise the unit the toll that the work took on officers marriages resulted in a number breaking down as a consequence of the deployments but still there was no attempt to speak to the officer's wives
02:34:31 attempt to speak to the officer's wives to provide them with any form of support or to find ways to mitigate that potential
02:34:33 potential damage the institutional sex sexism is also evident in the manner that the few female officers recruited into the SDS were
02:34:55 treated the contrast between hn3 348 Sandra treatment who gave evidence in part one and that of her fellow male officers is Stark she was literally thrown in at the deep end afforded no time to prepare her Legend in order to go undercover and she was plainly seen
02:35:11 go undercover and she was plainly seen by the SS managers as nothing other than a necessary but not particularly valued tool to be used where the important Undercovers I.E men obviously could not infiltrate namely into the women's movement there was total disregard for
02:35:24 movement there was total disregard for her welfare for example of the obvious dangers that she faced in getting home from meetings which very often occurred
02:35:35 from meetings which very often occurred late at night or ended late at night she was affording no protection or no assistance at any time in making her way home on potentially dangerous streets uh from those meetings
02:35:49 meetings that institutional sexism the total disregard for the rights for the autonomy and the Integrity of women unquestionably fed into the decisions of the officers themselves to engage in deceitful
02:36:02 deceitful relationships the introduction of the pill in the United Kingdom in 1967 brought women an element of sexual freedom for the first time and the officers who had sexual relationships
02:36:13 officers who had sexual relationships exploited this to the full it's clear from their accounts that they gave no thought to the dignity to the integrity and to the rights of the women to choose
02:36:26 and to the rights of the women to choose who they were intimate with did they use contraception did they give the slightest thought to the risk of fathering a child did they give the slightest thought to the risk of the psychological harm should the women ever realize the deception perpetrated on
02:36:38 realize the deception perpetrated on them for many of these officers it may well be it likely was that they saw the
02:36:51 well be it likely was that they saw the sexual relationship they were engaged in as a perk of the job as noted none of them per save perhaps Phil Cooper hm55 even seek to suggest that it was
02:37:02 hm55 even seek to suggest that it was necessary uh uh for their deployment to so engage it obviously wasn't for example Roger th Thorley that's hn
02:37:09 that's hn 85 in a debrief MI5 when discussing the variety of sexual practices that existed within the anarchist group that he had
02:37:24 within the anarchist group that he had infiltrated and become a highly trusted member of stated that he managed to avoid any direct [Music]
02:37:30 [Music] involvement but as I've indicated and as you're here in relation to Rick Gibson this might be the first case of sexual relationships being used as a tactic with each of the four women that he
02:37:42 with each of the four women that he abused being deliberately targeted as
02:37:53 abused being deliberately targeted as part of of an overall strategy to reach an influential position in uh the movements that he was infiltrating if that's right then this has especially profound implications for
02:38:06 has especially profound implications for the in institutional response to which I now
02:38:07 now [Music]
02:38:12 [Music] turn SD SDS officers who were managing and
02:38:13 and supervising um were uh I'm so sorry the sexism of the field
02:38:23 field officers those officers um who went out and penetrated the
02:38:36 the organizations that sexism was as deeply embedded in the minds of the SDS officers who were managing and supervising it was these officers who authorized the field officers over that decade to continue their
02:38:53 decade to continue their infiltrations and part of what they authorized was the infiltration of numerous feminist organizations these included women's voice green and common women support groups spare rib Collective black
02:39:08 groups spare rib Collective black brickton black women's movement women in Ireland and women workers League what possible
02:39:09 possible justification could there be for infiltrating such organizations other than a deep hostility to women's equality to a person the field offices
02:39:20 equality to a person the field offices are clear that there was no formal nor informal instruction from Seniors about engaging or not engaging in sexual
02:39:34 engaging or not engaging in sexual relationships the issue was simply never addressed not in the early years and still not a decade into the unit's existence when at least eight officers had engaged in sexual relationships some officers say it was just left to their common sense that it
02:39:47 just left to their common sense that it was common sense that an officer should not engage in sexual relationships or make close friendships but plainly with onethird of officers doing exactly that
02:39:59 onethird of officers doing exactly that this was not a matter of common sense so why were the officers told not told in terms that any such relationships were strictly
02:40:06 strictly prohibited even taking a charitable approach that it didn't occur to these managers uh uh in the SDS in the very early days that sexual relationships
02:40:19 early days that sexual relationships might occur because for example it was envisaged in those early days that deployments would be very short the fact is as Council to the inquiry
02:40:34 is as Council to the inquiry indicated from as early as 1971 it was clear that the SDS would be deploying officers for longterm infiltration filtration by 1971 officers were being
02:40:48 filtration by 1971 officers were being deployed into the unit to operate under cover for up to 5 years and this trend and pattern continued throughout the ensuing decade so that officers recruited in the late 70s were also being deployed for up to five years and as we've heard four years was considered
02:41:01 as we've heard four years was considered to be what officers were informed at the beginning of their deployment they should expect to serve within a very short period following the establishment of the SDS it was clear that the officers were
02:41:12 it was clear that the officers were building long-term relationships with those that were spying on that they were becoming important members of the groups that they were infiltrating that they were socializing outside meetings
02:41:29 were socializing outside meetings whether down the pub or even in people's homes it would have been blindingly obvious that there was a risk that officers might engage in sexual relationships and so far as it might naively have been believed that that marriage would afford some sort of protection the fact is not all officers were married Vince Miller and Rick go
02:41:41 were married Vince Miller and Rick go Gibson being two examples of those who weren't so the marriage of some officers simply can't explain why it was thought unnecessary to say
02:41:53 unnecessary to say anything but in any event the fact that some officers were engaging in sexual relationships unquestionably came to the attention of Supervisors this is attested to by one of the officers
02:42:11 of the officers h304 whose evidence stands out this is Graham Cod he was deployed between 76 and 79 and he provides a detailed account of the twice weekly meetings in
02:42:22 account of the twice weekly meetings in the SDS safe house and he describes how in the course of the officer chat some made joky remarks which clearly indicated they' engaged in sexual relationships he also makes clear their
02:42:33 relationships he also makes clear their supervisors were present and they would have overheard that bantle but he says this they were deliberately blind in some areas such as sexual activity by undercover officers while undercover Jim Pigford hn3
02:42:49 undercover Jim Pigford hn3 00 uh he says had a reputation among his fellow officers as somebody who was always chasing after women it was widely known he says that he was a philanderer his name would almost certainly be mentioned as a g in connection with
02:43:02 mentioned as a g in connection with joking about relationships with women similarly Rick Gibson he had his leg pulled on one occasion during a group discussion about a sexual encounter and
02:43:13 discussion about a sexual encounter and he too had a reputation a reputation for being something of a ladies man and the gist of the joking was that he had done something which reflected that reputation and hn 304 says there was
02:43:26 reputation and hn 304 says there was another occasion when similar joking took place in relation to another officer who had also had some sort of sexual encounter there is a striking
02:43:37 sexual encounter there is a striking contrast between the account of hn 304 G Graham cops and that of the other officers who would have been deployed and been present with him at those Safe House meetings all of those other officers say that
02:43:50 all of those other officers say that they knew nothing whatsoever about other officers having relationships is it likely that coats is lying the answer the category H core participants submit is is obviously not
02:44:02 participants submit is is obviously not what possible motive would he have to do
02:44:13 what possible motive would he have to do so but beyond that the activities of Jim pford and Rick Gibson are independently ident verified um as we've already addressed so it is beyond coincidence that the two officers that hn
02:44:29 that the two officers that hn 304 picks out by name as having had relationships which he knew about because of that banter are the very ones who have been independently uh verified as having engaged in sexual
02:44:41 as having engaged in sexual relationships but there's also further support for coat's account that comes from contemporaneous record records of the managers themselves records contained in the annual reports that
02:44:53 contained in the annual reports that they submitted uh uh that were submitted by the
02:44:54 by the SDS those reports are replete year on year with descriptions of how closely the field officers were supervised extracts are set out more
02:45:05 supervised extracts are set out more fully in our written submissions but here's a flavor of what is consistantly reiterated across the dec decade I should just mention that the issue of supervision before
02:45:21 issue of supervision before 1978 was discussed as a critical feature of security of maintaining the security of uh the unit uh after 1978 it was also dealt with Under The Heading
02:45:34 dealt with Under The Heading welfare so starting with the uh annual report of 1974 Under The Heading security it says this security remains as ever the prime consideration in all SDS activities the finest safeguards
02:45:48 SDS activities the finest safeguards continue to be strong supervision and a constant sense of self-preservation which is instilled into all operation officers equally valuable in this respect are the regular meetings of SDS members at one of our or other of our
02:46:00 members at one of our or other of our headquarters Flats as well as ensuring an adequate level of supervision and the opportunity to discuss and identify common problems and future targets they provide an opportunity to assess the behavior of operational officers so that
02:46:16 behavior of operational officers so that any pressures operation or otherwise can be quickly diagnosed and remedied then turning to the annual report of 1978 Under The Heading welfare and
02:46:26 and supervision it now says this twice a week meetings are held at one or other of the two secure headquarters Flats when all members of the SDS are in normal circumstances present
02:46:37 normal circumstances present additionally individual members of the field team are seen during the course of the week so that over a period of three weeks each one will will have had an opportunity to discuss privately his particular work and any problems either
02:46:52 particular work and any problems either of a professional or domestic nature it is also an accepted practice that any member of the field team can seek advice Etc from any of the administrative staff at any time whether by telephone or personal contact it will be readily
02:47:06 personal contact it will be readily appreciated therefore that although the field officer's work is by definition totally unsupervised there is constant contact with their immediate supervisors which leads to very close monitoring of an extremely delicate operation and the
02:47:23 an extremely delicate operation and the annual reports for 1979 and 1980 are in similar vein so close supervision of officers especially through the twice weekly meetings at the SDS safe houses
02:47:34 weekly meetings at the SDS safe houses was according to management an integral part of the SDS operations by the mid-70s and whether the purpose of that supervision was to inse secure to to ensure security uh of the units up
02:47:47 ensure security uh of the units up operations or to support the officers as part of their welfare to be effective that supervision had to ensure that the unsupervised activities in the field were captured so far as possible when
02:48:03 were captured so far as possible when officers came in from the field so what was said by those officers when at the safe house was critical there is no question therefore that supervisors would have sought to listen to what the officers were saying the only sensible conclusion
02:48:15 saying the only sensible conclusion therefore is that many of the officers who deny knowing that some officers were engaging in sexual activity while undercover are deliberately hiding what
02:48:26 undercover are deliberately hiding what they learned in the course of these Safe House meetings or in the course of socializing elsewhere and away from the safe houses with this group of officers to whom they inevitably would have
02:48:38 to whom they inevitably would have become incredibly close in This Strange World they inhabited and this has obvious implications for how the inquiry should approach their evidence
02:48:51 approach their evidence it must not accept those denials at face value they have to be probed and they have to be treated with serious caution finally we also know from the account referred to earlier of a GED officer that sometime in 1976 the fact that hn 300 Jim pford a
02:49:05 1976 the fact that hn 300 Jim pford a married officer had fallen in love with somebody he was spying on was relayed to managers and from another GED officer we know that
02:49:15 know that Rick Gibson dis disclosed his relationship with Mary and uh the other activist and that his deployment or it might have been in fact with the other uh two women he had a relationship with
02:49:30 uh two women he had a relationship with and that his deployment was compromised as a result it's inconceivable management didn't know this too and the security service note demonstrates at the very least the strong suspicions that management had
02:49:42 strong suspicions that management had that hm 106 Barry Tomkins had slept with a
02:49:46 a Target so what stands out from all this evidence is the total failure of SDS managers and supervisors to do anything about the sexual misconduct of the officers the clear message this would
02:50:02 officers the clear message this would have sent to the officers in the field was that nothing is improper about engaging in deceitful sexual relationships the absence of any measures prohibiting such behavior of
02:50:15 measures prohibiting such behavior of any steps being taken to safeguard the women is nothing other than instit U sexism the very fabric of the SDS permitted officers to behave in this
02:50:26 permitted officers to behave in this way so what are we driven to conclude from all of this that within a matter of a few short years of the unit's establishment a
02:50:38 years of the unit's establishment a culture had been created whereby at the very least supervisors permitted officers Dawning their undercover identities to indulge themselves
02:50:54 identities to indulge themselves sexually using the bodies of women as a perk of the job a bonus for their contribution to the unit's work that a state institution which exists to serve the
02:51:05 institution which exists to serve the public should permit such activities is unspeakably abhorent and it's not just institutionally sexist it's deeply misogynistic but it may well not stop there the inquiry must also start to
02:51:21 there the inquiry must also start to examine whether it was a result of Rick Gibson's use of sexual relationships during his deployment supervisors came to recognize sexual relationships as a valuable part of the Armory of undercover policing it's notable that in
02:51:38 undercover policing it's notable that in 1992 Rick Gibson applied for a promotion to detective Chief Inspector and he listed his work as a field officer in the SDS in his application and of
02:51:50 application and of course if hm67 Alan Bond engaged in sexual activity if he fathered a child this also has major implications for the later management of sexual Relationships
02:52:05 later management of sexual Relationships by the unit yet it seems clear that this will never be properly explored we have belatedly learned from the inquiry that he will not now be giving evidence due to a deterioration in his health the inquiry has known
02:52:18 in his health the inquiry has known about his ill health for more than three years but it seems No statement was taken from him and apparently it's now too late to do so this is despite the
02:52:31 too late to do so this is despite the chair having expressly recognized that his evidence is potentially of great importance to the inquiry and I quote this is from the minded to to decision in relation to his
02:52:45 in relation to his anonymity it may need his evidence to be taken out of sequence before his memory deteriorates further I want to draw these submissions to a close by quoting from a special
02:53:00 to a close by quoting from a special Branch memo dated the 15th of May 1981 so right towards the end of this uh dismal first decade of the unit's existence It Was Written following the discovery of a registry file concerning the work of an under officer who was believed to have been the very first
02:53:20 believed to have been the very first special branch in a vertic commas Harry incredibly this Harry was a woman a misspelling who infiltrated the Communist Party of great Brit Britain in 1921 uh the woman was contacted for her Recollections and the me Memo in
02:53:33 Recollections and the me Memo in concludes with this uh account of what she said she remembers the personel of
02:53:44 she said she remembers the personel of the 1920s as an a verticom gentleman who never took liberties with her or in her presence and the memo then continues this naturally is as true of the behavior of today's special Branch
02:53:58 the behavior of today's special Branch officers in the presence of the fair sex as it was of the staff in Miss Ping's time 60 years
02:54:12 time 60 years ago this is as clear an indication as any of the need for this inquiry to scrape away and dig beneath the self-justification the ications the emissions and the downright lies presented by the SDS records and reports and the
02:54:24 reports and the officers from those in the annual reports written by a unit seeking to justify its utility its continued
02:54:35 justify its utility its continued existence right through to the lives of officers writing up reports sanitizing them to exclude their own wrongdoing or the extent or nature of their own involvement in the movements they were penetrating
02:54:46 penetrating but as all the core participants have repeatedly insisted those lies can only
02:54:57 repeatedly insisted those lies can only be exposed if the inquiry recognizes how much it needs the help of those who was SPI on and that means not just making sure they're contacted and supported to become involved but also providing them with full disclosure in good time to
02:55:08 with full disclosure in good time to allow them to properly review all the
02:55:19 allow them to properly review all the documents to expose the inaccuracies and to expose the lies and as was the case in phase one so too in phase two that simply has not happened the case of Allison who had a relationship with Mark Jenner for five years in the 1990s provides a clear
02:55:32 years in the 1990s provides a clear example of officers reports containing fundamental inaccurate which inaccuracies which only those spyon can identify there was some disclosure for
02:55:43 identify there was some disclosure for this phase uh which includes uh a couple of reports from from the 1990s um and Allison has seen these records and she is able to identify that she was actually present at some of the meetings to which these relate because she had a
02:55:56 to which these relate because she had a diary that she kept at the time and she still has
02:56:01 still has now she has had confirmation from the inquiry that Jenna's reports don't identify her as having been present even though she attended those meetings with Jenna because that very first meeting uh
02:56:13 Jenna because that very first meeting uh in uh the chronology of these reports uh was one that took place six months after she and Jenna had started a
02:56:24 she and Jenna had started a relationship so not only has she been written out but there are then inaccuracies in his reporting he writes himself out of discussions and in
02:56:37 himself out of discussions and in particular a pivotal uh discussion and a pivotal role he played on one occasion in stoking a conflict within the group so Allison can provide a detailed account of the these meetings she can shed light on how this officer's
02:56:48 shed light on how this officer's reporting was inaccurate in CR critical respects and on the extent of his own involvement in shaping the course and actions of the movement he was infiltrating now so many others who
02:56:59 infiltrating now so many others who could do the same in this phase simply will not have the opportunity we also know that Mark Kennedy another example lied about using the women he had sexual relationships
02:57:10 the women he had sexual relationships with to gather intelligence so he told the home Affairs select committee that the two and I put that in vertic commas women he slept with provided no intelligence at all um I put that
02:57:25 intelligence at all um I put that iniversity commas because he slept with so many more than two women but the police statement to the IP in Kate Wilson's claim so Kate as I mentioned in the opening has proceeded
02:57:37 mentioned in the opening has proceeded to the um investigatory Powers tribunal with a claim that her human rights were violated in in large part because she wants to secure documentation that has
02:57:51 wants to secure documentation that has thus far been withheld from her and in those proceedings she has managed to secure a lot of disclosure and a lot more information from the police and in the police's statement they say this of Mark's allegation as is evidenced from
02:58:04 Mark's allegation as is evidenced from the review of the documentation and the summary in his statement it does not appear to be correct to suggest that Kate Wilson provided no intelligence at all and that's putting it Mar mly in
02:58:18 all and that's putting it Mar mly in fact in fact Kate Wilson was made a name Target of Mark Kennedy's operation it's not too late for the
02:58:29 operation it's not too late for the inquiry to change its approach to ensure that future hearings don't suffer the same failings and that all relevant evidence is available and once again the
02:58:42 evidence is available and once again the category H participants urge the inquiry to take the steps needed to enable them and all the non-state club core participants to meaningfully participate and help the inquiry with its work it
02:58:53 and help the inquiry with its work it goes without saying that the category H core participants fully expect to participate in all future hearings um as it is as they are doing so in this phase because it is clear as I as I said at
02:59:08 because it is clear as I as I said at the outset relationships were becoming emic by the end of this decade finally uh the category H core participants wish to express their utter dismay that Council to the
02:59:27 dismay that Council to the inquiry uh has indicated that the tranch two hearings will not now take place until after 2022 these delays are intolerable for the
02:59:33 the women their need in particular for disclosure of documents which relate to them for their psychological well-being
02:59:47 them for their psychological well-being has been repeatedly emphasized as meline said just before me it is cruel that they are still being deprived of those
02:59:58 they are still being deprived of those documents if there is to be any further delay uh the inquiry should we strongly submit ensure the prioritization of the provision of
03:00:14 prioritization of the provision of disclosure to the category H women they simply cannot be required to wait any longer and we know that the MPS has indicated that it is very happy to do all that it can to insist if the inquiry chair takes a decision to prioritize
03:00:31 chair takes a decision to prioritize that disclosure so we urge the chair in light of of this further delay to consider that and to relieve uh their distress um sir those are the
03:00:44 distress um sir those are the submissions on behalf of the the category H women thank you I would only say in response to your um concluding remarks
03:01:00 response to your um concluding remarks that um many promises are made by many parties uh which uh when it comes to fulfilling them are fulfilled more slowly and with greater difficulty than uh others have been led to
03:01:12 uh others have been led to believe it may well be that uh the request that you make cannot be
03:01:24 request that you make cannot be fulfilled we are now going to break for 15 minutes uh we will then go straight on to Mr Ryder whose submissions will conclude today's hearing this is being done in memory respectful memory of student
03:01:42 La we will now take a 15 minute break the time is now 12:5 so we shall reconvene at 10:5
03:02:12 p.m.
03:15:11 welcome back everyone I shall now hand over to the chairman to continue proceedings chair thank you Mr Ryder uh thank you sir um uh before I
03:15:23 Ryder uh thank you sir um uh before I start I should probably make clear that there are three things I'm going to be covering today uh the first will be a section of an open my opening about the anti-ap partite movement the second will be uh the last section of my opening
03:15:40 be uh the last section of my opening which will be about cious STS the core participant and the third thing is to potentially address the matter you raised with Mr Skelton yesterday of miscarriages of Justice um I should say right from the beginning that it's a
03:15:51 right from the beginning that it's a close fit to get everything in in the time that I've been given and I'm grateful being given a bit more time it's going to be a close fit and I may go slightly
03:16:03 go slightly over and so uh one of the things I was going to mention is that I'm happy to address you on the miscarriages point that I may address you on it shortly with the intention that Mrs Skelton and I and maybe others will put something in writing for you to be able to look at and consider our view um may I say that
03:16:18 and consider our view um may I say that I'd welcome that if that's a course you would prefer um you do so with my encouragement yes so if I've got time to thank you sir if I've got time to address it at the end which I doubt then I will otherwise I'll be putting
03:16:30 I will otherwise I'll be putting something in writing that's okay thank you very much so so if I can begin uh the opening statement in relation to the core participants Lord Hayne Professor Rosen head and Ernest Roder and the anti parte movement
03:16:45 parte movement from the 1960s onwards the international movement against the aparte regime in South Africa was one of the largest one of the world's largest social and
03:16:57 of the world's largest social and political movements um I'm going to make a reference to one or two uh images so I'd be grateful if we could put up on the screen uh the image reference docc
03:17:11 045
03:17:21 thank you very much um those campaigning against a party were of course right to do so and those opposing them and criticizing them for doing so were of course
03:17:33 doing so were of course wrong uh history does not cast the British government in a positive light when it comes to South African aparti
03:17:48 when it comes to South African aparti for too long our government appeased and supported a regime that it should have been vehemently opposing this part of this inquiry will examine an ingredient of that historic embarrassment because it should be a
03:17:59 embarrassment because it should be a matter of deep regret that the SDS chose to Target those anti- aparte campaigners for surveillance through the use of undercover
03:18:11 undercover offices what many in the world realized that the SDS failed to appreciate was that the true threat to democracy and our society came from the aparte regime rather than those who were opposing it and in this opening statement relating
03:18:23 and in this opening statement relating to the anti partite movement I'll seek to address three topics but firstly the politicized nature of the undercover policing that took place secondly
03:18:37 policing that took place secondly miscarriages of Justice arising from the activities of the SDS and the criminal proceedings and that includes the star and garta uh uh event which you heard
03:18:50 and garta uh uh event which you heard about and which you referenced yesterday sir and thirdly some procedural matters relating to this part of the inquiry uh so could we please take down that image and put up another image which is uh reference doc
03:19:08 047 uh and I'll begin with the politicized nature of policing uh the large anti aparte movement was formed in 1959 and at its height it had a board
03:19:21 1959 and at its height it had a board based support from hundreds of thousands of people in Britain it was not affiliated to any political
03:19:35 affiliated to any political party that picture of Peter Hayne refers references the fact that he was active in the movement of course and was an integral part of the stop the 70 tour that was a movement which successfully saw the cancellation of the 1970 Cricket tour from South Africa to
03:19:48 1970 Cricket tour from South Africa to the the UK it also protested against the 1969 to 70 Tour by the Springbok rugby team it used tactics of nonviolent direct action including running onto the pitch to disrupt matches uh could we take that down that
03:19:59 matches uh could we take that down that image please and put up image reference docc
03:20:13 048 this is a uh poster relating to the kabora basa um uh D Busters mobilizing committee movement and the dusters mobilizing committee was a broad-based coalition of groups which shared a common aim to explain to the British
03:20:29 common aim to explain to the British public how the kabor ofasa project broke un sanctions against the illegal regime in Ria and bolstered both AP parti in South Africa and Portuguese rule in mosambi the Dan's mobilizing committee campaigned to ensure British companies played no part in the project and the
03:20:43 played no part in the project and the DMC coordinated efforts of the Coalition it did not sub subscribe to any political party or any political Doctrine wasn't Affiliated to any political
03:20:53 political party this is important because all of those groups were spied upon by undercover officers the annual reports of the SDS show that those campaigning on anti- aparte matters were Target of SDS surveillance right from its
03:21:08 SDS surveillance right from its Inception um I think you can take the image down that thank you the anti aart movement was identified as a Target to surveillance in the first annual reports of the Special Operations Squad in
03:21:23 Special Operations Squad in 1969 the anti partite movement and other related groups then featured in all following annual reports into the 1970s five out of a total of 13 staff for the SDS both operational and other right were involved in targeting stop the 70s tour coverage of the stop the
03:21:39 the 70s tour coverage of the stop the 70s store and its successor campaigns continued well into the mid 1970
03:21:49 we highlight that because it contrasts with the farri groups who do not appear to have been targeted in the same way this decision to Target left groups but not far right groups appears to have been a deliberate decision rather than
03:22:00 been a deliberate decision rather than the result of any difficulty obtaining infiltration into the farite groups because as the annual report for the 19 for 1972 States quote right-wing extremist groups who in recent times
03:22:11 extremist groups who in recent times have not posed as much of a threat to public order are not covered by the SDS but there are no technical reasons why they could not be should the position
03:22:24 deteriorate we suggest that one of the points that's important in this pass the inquiry that the assessment to Target particular
03:22:38 the assessment to Target particular groups can only have been reached by SDS officers taking a misguided and a partisan political perspective violence and intimidation by right-wing groups in response to those who were legitimately campaigning against the party was perceived as a
03:22:54 against the party was perceived as a problem caused by the campaigners and not by those using violence against them similarly violence intimidation and racial hatred is spoused by rightwing
03:23:06 racial hatred is spoused by rightwing groups in reaction to those campaigning Against Racism was perceived as a problem to to be resolved by targeting not the rightwing roots but the left-wing campaigners acting
03:23:17 left-wing campaigners acting legitimately this was we say a discredited but well recognized perspective at that time and it's the
03:23:31 perspective at that time and it's the same perspective or similar perspective that was espoused by the conservative Member of Parliament Enoch Po in the notorious rivs of blood speech around the same time in
03:23:41 1968 on that perspective the threat disorder in Britain was attributed to those on the political left espousing Racial equality and promoting greater racial
03:23:54 racial integration the violent racist response from those on the political right was seen as regretable but understandable and
03:24:04 and inevitable this is a flawed political perspective and that is a similar perspective to that which caused the targeting of leftwing groups rather than right-wing groups in fact the first infiltration of the
03:24:17 in fact the first infiltration of the national front was not instigated by the SS themselves but rather by the results of an undercover officer who infiltrated a leftwing group the workers revolutionary party and the workers
03:24:32 revolutionary party and the workers revolutionary party without realizing he was an undercover officer encouraging the officer to find out about the national
03:24:34 national front there was no difficulty ensuring coverage of right groups by the SDS had they wanted to it seemed was a deliberate decision not to Target such
03:24:45 deliberate decision not to Target such groups in 1976 there was a re-evaluation of the role of the SDS it found that the level of violence on demonstrations had
03:24:56 level of violence on demonstrations had decreased since the Inception of the SDS in
03:24:58 in 1968 but the number of demonstrations had increased the need for coverage by the SDS was purportedly justified by the
03:25:09 the SDS was purportedly justified by the fear of the ultr left uh we refer to the document NPS 073 0745 and we've quoted in our paragraph 10 of our written opening statement from
03:25:22 10 of our written opening statement from there the suggestion of the folks in the ultr left indicates a mission creep because the normal Target of interation is the ultra left but
03:25:36 interation is the ultra left but undercover officers continue to use what we've understood to be described as the oblique approach in other words targeting groups which which did not present a threat to public order or of subversion as a means to move on to groups perceived to be more
03:25:52 extreme broadly left-wing organizations were infiltrated throughout the 1970s even when such groups had nothing to do with
03:26:03 to do with disorder the oblique approach resulted in a fundamental failure in the assessment of proportionality it provided a purported justification for undercover surveillance on any group of the political
03:26:21 left another component of the mission creep that became surveillance by the SS at the bees of the security services contemporaneous records show that the undercover officers viewed much of their activity as related to obtaining information for the security
03:26:33 obtaining information for the security service as UC 301 Bob stubs uh said uh I'm not sure why my reporting was copied to the security service thinking about it I think we gathered quite a lot of
03:26:45 it I think we gathered quite a lot of Intelligence on behalf of the security service and could be described as their executive arm excuse me since the oblique approach could
03:26:58 me since the oblique approach could provide a reportive justification for placing an undercover officer in an organization that did not present a public order threat it enabled the SDS to place undercover officers in organizations on behalf of the security
03:27:13 organizations on behalf of the security service even when this fell outside the strict role of the SDS in dealing with public order matters for example in 1979 DCI Mike Ferguson then a senior SDS officer stated in response to Security Services request for coverage of the
03:27:26 request for coverage of the wrp although the wrp was not considered to be a Nord order problem nevertheless he was ready to put a source into the wrp if this would legitimately act as a
03:27:39 wrp if this would legitimately act as a stepping stone for penetration of an STS Target this is a mission creep in which anyone on the left was considered to be a Gateway into surveillance potentially because the security services were
03:27:52 because the security services were interested in it proportionality was lost and balance was lost in that process this relationship between the SDS and the security service was not always welcomed at a senior level in
03:28:07 always welcomed at a senior level in fact in 1974 at a meeting between Deputy assistant commissioner Gilbert and the security service it's recorded as follows at this point Gilbert said he thought that before we went further he
03:28:18 thought that before we went further he ought to let us know The Facts of Life about the inter service collaboration as far as npsb were concerned it was almost holy one-way cooperation they did a tremendous amount of work on our behalf but got very
03:28:31 of work on our behalf but got very little feedback in return He said that for the most part work was done for us has little of no little or no relevance to SB proper character sorry proper
03:28:47 to SB proper character sorry proper Charter and as far as he was concerned it tied up stuff of which he was chronically short anyway in totally unproductive activity this is a complaint by the police that they're being used by the security
03:29:01 they're being used by the security service for spying in a way that's outside of their REM a close relationship between the organizations persisted numerous meetings took place between senior officers and the yet and the
03:29:14 officers and the yet and the counterparts in the security service often followed by drinks it's notable therefore that even when the formal targets of the SDS had moved on from the anti-ap partite campaign the SDS were collecting information on the anti-ap partite
03:29:26 information on the anti-ap partite movement sometimes on behalf of the security service throughout the period this part of the of the inquiry well into the
03:29:40 80s I I'll move on now really to a heading that we describe supporters of apartheid and and how the supporters of apartheid were
03:29:57 apartheid were approached the proactive approach of the police and Security Services in placing the anti- aparte movement and related groups under surveillance should be contrasted when considering proportionality with the poor response when the same campaigners were attacked by those who supported a
03:30:10 by those who supported a parttime the South African Bureau Bureau of states security known as boss targeted groups campaigning against AP parte both inside and outside South Africa that State security sou African
03:30:24 Africa that State security sou African State security were active in London in the 1970s and 1980s and their targets included thec and the anti-ap partite movement to run through some incidents in 1970 South African journalist Keith
03:30:40 in 1970 South African journalist Keith Wallace who had threatened to expose AP partti security service operations in the UK
03:30:41 the UK was murdered in London in 1972 a letter bomb was sent to Peter hayne's home address where he
03:30:52 Peter hayne's home address where he lived with his parents and siblings only good fortune prevented the device from detonating when the parcel was opened by his 14-year-old sister nobody was ever arrested in connection with the matter
03:31:04 arrested in connection with the matter and it's not clear to what extent if at all it was ever investigated in 1978 the headquarters of the anti-nazi league suffer n attack on Sunday the 14th of March 1982
03:31:15 attack on Sunday the 14th of March 1982 a 10B bomb exploded at the rear of thec officers on Penton Street in London the bomb went off at 9:00 a.m. and injured
03:31:27 bomb went off at 9:00 a.m. and injured ANC research official vet mabata who was present in the building the back of the building in London was destroyed and windows over a 100 yards away were broken including the windows of a local
03:31:38 windows of a local school the matter was reported to the police no one was ever charged and later a former member of Boss Craig Williamson admitted responsibility for that attack to the Truth and Reconciliation committee hearings in
03:31:50 Reconciliation committee hearings in South Africa following the fall of a parttime on 17th of July 1985 there was a well planned Arsen attack on the anti-ap partite movement offices in
03:32:03 anti-ap partite movement offices in London forensic experts who examined the fire stated that inflammable that the flammable liquid used was of a type only available to military sources and not on sale to the public again nobody was ever arrested in relation to that
03:32:18 arrested in relation to that matter so in light of that background the reason we rais it is that this inquiry and those interested in this inquiry might have expected to see disclosure of reports and SDS activity relating to surveillance and
03:32:34 relating to surveillance and investigation of those involved in those violence attacks the supporters of apti involved in violence attacks and those who were aligned with them through support of the aparti regime but this is not the case the picture the documents disclosed by the
03:32:48 picture the documents disclosed by the inquiry reveal something bordering on an obsession by the SDS and the security service with collecting information on leing groups
03:33:01 collecting information on leing groups but a corresponding lack of interest in the activities of the supporters of AP partite who Carri out carried out the serious acts of
03:33:09 violence uh in that regard uh I'd like to pause for a moment just to make a comment on the opening statement by the designated lawyers and how an aspect of what was said there uh try to put
03:33:25 what was said there uh try to put context uh on the surveillance of the anti partite movement because we set out the context to show the difference between the
03:33:37 to show the difference between the surveillance on the anti- parte movement and the supporters of AP party but also trying to put it in the historical context of judging how looking at how misjudged that surveillance
03:33:49 was in the statement by the designated lawyers uh paragraph five uh it's page 14 to 15 of the opening statement is is a good example of what we believe to be a combative and flawed
03:34:04 a combative and flawed approach to examining now the work that was done by the SDS and an attempt to justify that work
03:34:15 SDS and an attempt to justify that work today and at paragraph five the opening statement stated the police's duty to maintain public order and to obtain intelligence about the related threats would have been precisely the same if an
03:34:27 would have been precisely the same if an all black West Indies test team had been scheduled to T England in 19170 and there had been a far-right campaign aimed at
03:34:33 aimed at stopping that is to seek to draw an equivalence between policing and West Indies testing that were being opposed by racist far-right
03:34:50 far-right campaigners with an allh South African team uh who were being demonstrated against by anti- aarte demonstrators we say there are some significant problems with the perspective that designated lawyer statement on behalf of the undercover officers put
03:35:02 officers put forward the first is that it equates the level of police concern that should have been in gathering evidence about legitimate anti-racist campaigners
03:35:13 legitimate anti-racist campaigners with farri groups compaining to incite racial hatred and racial division that equivalence entirely confuses
03:35:20 confuses neutrality with uh or that se that that forgive me that attempt to draw parallel confuses neutrality with a equivalent it is not politically neutral to treat
03:35:40 is not politically neutral to treat different things as though they are the same in fact treating different things as though they are the same is unfair and
03:35:41 and disproportionate to draw that equivalence is as misjudged we say as when 20 years ago the Metropolitan Police told the Steven Lawrence inquiry
03:35:53 Police told the Steven Lawrence inquiry that it advocated a colorblind approach to race so William mcferson explained in
03:36:04 to race so William mcferson explained in his seminar report why that approach was misconceived that is why the colorblind approach was misconceived treating different things as though they the same is not the right approach as s William MCV explained it misunderstood
03:36:15 misunderstood racism and in the same way drawing equivalence between policing legitimate anti- aparte Protestants with far-right groups
03:36:27 Protestants with far-right groups inciting racial hatred misunderstands the role of police in the Democracy it also misunderstands proportionality there seems to be no proper attention to the right to freedom of expression the right to privacy
03:36:44 of expression the right to privacy the focus on what the officers believed wrongly to be the reason to uh put leftwing groups under veillance seems to have been devoid of an assessment of proportionality that's not only a
03:36:58 proportionality that's not only a problem that occurred then but in seeing that put forward in the opening statement from the designated lawyers it seemed to be a problem that persists in their approach today the second reason why we take
03:37:10 today the second reason why we take objection to what was said by the Des ated
03:37:15 ated lawyers is that the example they give of saying that would the same approach would have been taken to right-wing groups is strikingly a historical the disclosed sorry the
03:37:26 historical the disclosed sorry the disclosed documents as I've said show a virtual obsession with spying on leftwing groups or virtually no interest in spying on Far Right racist groups
03:37:39 in spying on Far Right racist groups opposingly so that example given by the designated lawyer is at best unpleasantly ironic the undercover offic of views as represented by that opening unfortunately suggests they've learned
03:37:52 unfortunately suggests they've learned listen the only benefit it might be said of those
03:37:53 of those statements is that it is allowing us to see not only how misconceived they were then but also how even today they seem to see nothing wrong with a dis
03:38:09 to see nothing wrong with a dis disproportionate and misguided approach that they took and that is a matter of serious
03:38:15 regret I move on to the disproportionate collection of information and we referred to this in our opening uh in November for part one a striking feature of many of the
03:38:28 a striking feature of many of the intelligence reports produced by the SDS in this period is how disproportionate the level of surveillance was and how mundane and trivial personal information was
03:38:35 was collected many of the undercover offices State there was effectively no filtering of the information in collect any information of any kind about person's L to be of interest was recorded for
03:38:46 to be of interest was recorded for example in relation to Ernest rodker alone we see the following information on 11th of March 1976 an intelligence report is fed consisting of saying he
03:39:00 report is fed consisting of saying he had a son born to nnest on the date in February
03:39:04 February 1976 and a further intelligence report consisting solely of the following Ernest rodka after suffering a heart attack is now in James Hospital both those reports were copied to the security
03:39:18 to the security service similarly undercover officers reported the presence of Peter Hay's younger assistant both still children at the time at meetings with the young liberals at his parents home and again that was copied to the security service how and why this kind of
03:39:33 service how and why this kind of personal information was being relevant to collect and then pass on to the security service seems difficult to understand then this information that we've seen those reports is
03:39:44 we've seen those reports is unfortunately not unusual but typical of the kind of personal information that was collected other undercover officers also reported on the children of activists so this is the kind of
03:39:56 activists so this is the kind of surveillance information that one would expect to see in the fars from a totalitarian regime who spy on the private lives of political dissident it barely needs to be stated that seeing state agencies
03:40:09 stated that seeing state agencies secretly gathering information about children
03:40:10 children is terrifying for any parent to read such information should only be collected where there is a pressing
03:40:22 collected where there is a pressing social need to do so if ever when that need is properly set out and recorded and none of that occurred here there are numerous reports relating to public meetings of the conventional political nature that should have been free from State surveillance for example on the 14th of January
03:40:36 on the 14th of January 1975 an intelligence report is made of a public meeting held by the battery Redevelopment group 150 people attending including an RKA the meeting was part of a local
03:40:50 RKA the meeting was part of a local campaign relating to Redevelopment of a fun fair and was attended by residents and local politicians but on a more Sinister note names of three elected wesworth councilors were seen were noted as seeing to buy copies of red
03:41:02 as seeing to buy copies of red week again that information was sent to the security services similarly disproportionate and indiscriminate collection of information by the SDS the scen in reports on beter
03:41:13 by the SDS the scen in reports on beter H for example an SDS intelligent report dating 11th of June 1980 list of names of persons identified as being present at the conference center where the labor party was holding special conference Peter Hayne attended the
03:41:26 conference Peter Hayne attended the conference in his role as delegate of the party labor Branch as Lord Hayne asks in his witness statement did they ever go to the conservative or Liberal Party
03:41:38 Party conferences these core participants have particular concern about the way information about them was shared uh with uh those who may have been involved in supporting the parti and those
03:41:53 in supporting the parti and those concerns are set out in detail and you will have seen in the statements of Christ b gurny a witness to these proceedings and Peter heny these core participants and Miss gurny would like to know if the foreign
03:42:05 gurny would like to know if the foreign Security Agency uh that's referred to in these reports is a South African aparti state agency who are receiving additional reports from the security Services of this
03:42:18 Services of this country if so if this information was being passed on to South African Security
03:42:19 Security Services and this seems to have strayed very far from safeguarding public order in the UK in fact it appears to be the
03:42:31 in the UK in fact it appears to be the opposite rather than safeguarding public order and the citizens of the UK it was giving information about legitimate campaigners to racist far-right violent regimes that intended to to harm them and at times cause serious injury and
03:42:46 and at times cause serious injury and death to those who are opposing their racist
03:42:56 policies I turn now to the role of Mike Ferguson in the stop the 70s tour movement and so for reference on paragraph 37 of our uh written opening in relation to Mike fuson we have three concerns the first concern relates to
03:43:09 concerns the first concern relates to the relates to the decision to Target the stop the70s tour Campaign which on any reasonable view on any reasonable view was not subversive or extremist in any
03:43:20 any way our second concern relates to the role that Mike Ferguson had within the stop the 70s tour and how it was viewed within the SDS on his account he was a police
03:43:35 SDS on his account he was a police officer playing a key organizational and Senior role by spying on the organiz sorry playing a key organizational and Senior role in the very organization on which he was
03:43:51 spying our third concern is the inappropriate and disproportionate actions of Mike Ferguson not being an isolated example of inappropriate surveillance but being a consistent part of the activity of the SDS because
03:44:03 of the activity of the SDS because rather than being sanctioned for what he did Mike Ferguson went on to hold senior positions within the SDS he was responsible for recruiting officers to the SDS seeing Junior
03:44:15 officers to the SDS seeing Junior officers and their experience was something that Junior officers went to him to understand went to him for advice in other words what he
03:44:31 in other words what he did was considered to be uh something that the SDS championed and saw as a positive thing rather than somebody should have been sanctioned for becoming deeply involved in an organization that he was supposed to be SP
03:44:50 uh I move on to the inaccurate justification that's been presented for targeting to stop the 70s tour in the anti- partite movement these core participants feel it's important to correct the record relating to the purported justifications
03:45:05 relating to the purported justifications for targeting the an the anti-ap partite movement stop the 7s tour and other organizations campaig against thearty former under govern officers have claimed that these groups were involved in violence and disorder and that this Justified the actions of the
03:45:18 that this Justified the actions of the SDS towards them that these claims are false from the outset to stop the 70s tour and the anti-ap parte movement were nonviolent campaigning
03:45:30 nonviolent campaigning organizations violence was never part of their aims or methods Lord Hayne Professor rosenhead Ernest Roder and Christel gurny have all made statements to this inquiry confirming that to be the case we ask
03:45:45 confirming that to be the case we ask you to take those into account we ask you to accept their account because their position is supported by contemporaneous documentation about the aims and methods of the anti-ap partite movement summed
03:45:57 of the anti-ap partite movement summed up by hn 298 in his witness statement as follows there was nothing clandestine or revolutionary about the anti-ap parte
03:46:11 revolutionary about the anti-ap parte movement they were a group of people who did think the situation in South Africa was fair they wanted to make aparte a high-profile issue so that people would say it was outrageous in the hope that things would
03:46:26 things would change it was not subversive so far as I was aware I do not think they employed or approved of the use of violence the stop the 70s St did engage in non-violent direct action however this went no further than minor damage
03:46:39 this went no further than minor damage to property and the disruption of events such as rugby matches that approach was implicitly understood by those who took part Mike Ferguson occupied such a close position to the leadership of the stop
03:46:53 position to the leadership of the stop the 70s Tour on his own account that is telling that his reports about their plans and methods do not at any point indicate or suggest that the stop the 70s tour supported the use of violence on
03:47:08 demonstrations the claim by hm 336 of Dick EPS in oral evidence of the inquiry that he attended to stop the 70s tour demonstration at Twickenham by
03:47:20 tour demonstration at Twickenham by which instructions were given to attack the police is as far as these core participants are aware untrue The Three core participants who were involved in the stop the 70s tour and attended demonstrations at rugby
03:47:31 and attended demonstrations at rugby grounds Lord Hayne Jonathan Rosen head Jonathan Rosen head and Anis roer as well as Christopher gurny all denied
03:47:45 well as Christopher gurny all denied that any such instructions were given we set out at paragraph 49 in our written opening statement why we say this inquiry should prefer the clear Recollections of the core participants in this G rather than an undocumented and improbable assertion revealed by an officer in all evidence for the first
03:48:03 time and that that brings me on to the star and G
03:48:10 demonstration the arrest and prosecution of undercover officer Michael Scott at the star and garta demonstration is an early and Powerful example of how the work of the SDS
03:48:24 example of how the work of the SDS eroded standards of fairness in the criminal trial process and this was caused by the SCS policy of total secrecy in not disclosing the role of the undercover
03:48:37 disclosing the role of the undercover officers arrested at demonstrations to anyone in many regards the star and gartic demonstrations the first instance of willful abuse of the criminal justice system by those engaged in undercover
03:48:51 system by those engaged in undercover policing and it became as we've come to learn a repeated pattern in the years that
03:48:52 that followed this in essence is the beginning of a problem in the criminal justice system that we've seen play out really to the present
03:49:03 really to the present day you've uh been taken through the home office guidance paragraph three paragraph 4 uh that related published in 1969 that related to informants taking
03:49:15 1969 that related to informants taking part in crime and so I don't propose to repeat it it's set out at paragraphs uh 51 onwards uh in our written opening statement the guidance was issued with a
03:49:28 statement the guidance was issued with a direction from the Home Secretary to all chief police officers to ensure means of commending to ensure the means of commending them to anyone who may be concerned in your
03:49:41 concerned in your Force the STS did not consider itself Bound by this that's significant it didn't approach this in the way other police officers did the undercover officers in tranch
03:49:53 did the undercover officers in tranch one we've heard were largely unaware of the home office guidance and the later SDS tradecraft man summarized the content of the home office guidance in the following way stated simply you cannot take part in
03:50:08 stated simply you cannot take part in crime unless you had no part in planning an incident and take a minor part in the crime itself at no time can you instigate counsel or procure others to commit a
03:50:20 counsel or procure others to commit a crime so far so good unfortunately the tradecraft manual goes on to say the above sentiments are laudable but the
03:50:33 above sentiments are laudable but the boundary between right and wrong in the SDS arena is never as clear-cut as the provisions in confidential memo for would have us believe we see no explanation or justification presented as as to why the SDS believe the guidance from the home office should not apply to undercover
03:50:44 office should not apply to undercover officers it's a clear illustration of the SDS perceiving on the basis that it could ignore legal guidance and existing policing
03:50:56 principles the key Safeguard in the tradecraft manual to prevent undercover officers from acting unlawfully appeared to be no more than undercover officers informing their superiors of a likelihood that they would be breaking the law before such action was taken
03:51:17 the law before such action was taken critically the tradecraft manual did not accompany the advice or did not include the advice to inform senior officers with an obligation on the SDS to disclose unlawful activity to police officers by police officers to prosecuted in the same way that it is set out in the home office
03:51:28 set out in the home office Guidance the need to protect the Integrity of the criminal justice process or even to respect legal privilege of codefendants appears to have been wholly disregarded
03:51:39 disregarded what guidance there is suggests the opposite undercover officers should not disclose their status to arresting officers and asking activists to recommend them a sister is quote good
03:51:52 recommend them a sister is quote good fieldcraft though that's taken from the tradecraft manual itself and against that background all of the features of what
03:52:04 background all of the features of what could go wrong are present in this early example of an undercover officer facing criminal charges the arrest and prosecution of Mike Scott at the start G
03:52:18 prosecution of Mike Scott at the start G demonstration um could you please put up a final document which is uh reference ucpi
03:52:19 ucpi 00000000
03:52:21 00000000 Z50
03:52:38 3472
03:52:56 thank you on the that's an arrest taking place at the star and Gart demonstration which took place on the 12th of May 1972 at a hotel in Richmond where anti-ap partite activists sought to
03:53:08 anti-ap partite activists sought to block the car park containing the coach due to take the British lons rugby team the airport for a tour of parti South Africa 20 activists took part in the
03:53:20 Africa 20 activists took part in the demonstration including Ernest Roder Jonathan rosenhead Christ boury and unknown to them the undercover officer M Scot also took part uniformed police attended the
03:53:35 part uniformed police attended the demonstration and 14 activists including Mike Scott the undercover officer were arrested charged prosecuted and convicted of obstructing the highway and obstruction of a police officer Mike Scott faced trial even though he was an undercover officer alongside other
03:53:50 undercover officer alongside other activists and he was convicted under his false name what the real M Scot might make must have made of finding out if he ever did that he was convicted that there was a conviction under his
03:54:01 there was a conviction under his name is is something we we won't be exploring but I think has been explored to some degree
03:54:12 the core participants have a number of concerns over the actions of mice Scot and and the star and G demonstration and the first and most important one is the factual innocence of the people
03:54:23 factual innocence of the people convicted this is because the case was defended in part on the basis that the demonstration blocked the car park and not the road in other words the highway
03:54:34 not the road in other words the highway was not blocked and they were therefore factually innocent of the charge the contemporaneous documents support the fact that at least most of the demonstrators were arrested in the car park the defendants were concerned
03:54:48 car park the defendants were concerned that police officers would lie and say that they were arrested on the road importantly there is nothing in the contemporaneous documents to suggest that the undercover officer Mike Scott disputed this
03:55:02 disputed this defense he was therefore aware that the charge was proceeding on a false basis Mike Scott as a police officer could and should have taken steps to correct the
03:55:15 correct the prosecution or to give evidence for the defense telling the court as a police officer where the arrests actually took place but he
03:55:29 place but he didn't our second concern is the lack of authorization the actions of Mike Scott in participating in the demonstration were not sanctioned in advanced by his superiors the suggestion appears to be that his involvement in the
03:55:41 that his involvement in the demonstration arose quick quickly and he couldn't and he didn't anticipate he would be
03:55:43 would be arrested we don't accept that explanation even a likelihood of arrest a likelihood of arrest before it happened should have been notified to Superior officer senior officer in
03:55:54 Superior officer senior officer in advance and that could have been done
03:56:02 quickly thirdly we are concerned by the lack of
03:56:09 lack of disclosure when senior officers learned of mik Scott's arrest and charge they endorsed the pl proceed through the trial
03:56:10 trial process and at no point was the existence of an undercover officer disclosed to the defendants all arresting officers the prosecution or it seems even the
03:56:31 prosecution or it seems even the court this therefore is a key and eerily familiar theme of the miscarriages of Justice cases that have come before these the cord of appeal more recently and we have in mind the case that you'll be very familiar with so the case of Bard or the case of bar which feature in other parts of this
03:56:45 which feature in other parts of this inquiry our fourth concern is breach of legal
03:56:52 legal privilege during the preparation for trial undercover officer mik Scott became aware of confidential and privileged discussions between the defendants and their lawyers this was included in reports sent by him to the
03:57:03 sent by him to the SDS such information should not have
03:57:14 SDS such information should not have been obtained or passed on by the police indeed there's some some irony in the fact that the inquiry has redacted sections of the documents produced by hn 298 and related comments by the relevant core participants on the basis that they attract legal privilege of other
03:57:36 attract legal privilege of other defendants in other words it seems to be the inquiry approach understandably but with some irony that legal privilege still persists over the information recorded by hn 298 that's simply underlined then information should never have been there in the first place again there was no consideration about the need to respect legal
03:57:47 about the need to respect legal privilege either by Mike Scott or the senior SDS officers who dealt with the
03:58:01 matter the star and garta incident Is Not Alone um it wasn't a one-off and it can't simply be confined to its historical context because it was a pattern as we've seen of later events where prosecutions occurred in circumstances that involved undercover
03:58:15 circumstances that involved undercover officers and just by way of example we have similar concerns about a lack of disclosure to defense and prosecution and the later prosecution of hn13 Desmond or Barry loer in
03:58:28 hn13 Desmond or Barry loer in 1977 he faced trial alongside seven others for public order offenses he was dis the charges against him were dismissed but others were convicted 3 days after the trial
03:58:40 convicted 3 days after the trial finished he was arrested again on a demonstration in Brixton on this occasion he was found guilty of threatening behavior but he was issued with a fine and Bann over three codefendants were also
03:58:51 three codefendants were also convicted on both of the occasions in relation to Bar Loa no disclosure was made to defense or prosecution that an undercover officer was involved in the case in
03:59:08 case in anywhere disclosure it seems was made to someone described as a court official who appears to have ensured that the first charge was dismissed and the second charge received a lesser penalty but the name and role of the Court official has been inducted so it's not clear if this is a judge or lay
03:59:19 clear if this is a judge or lay magistrate or perhaps even just a member of Court
03:59:20 of Court staff either way we have we hope understandable and significant concerns about how this undermines the Integrity of the court
03:59:36 process the uh concerns expressed in the later cases to do with the Ratliff demonstration and the cord of appeal case to which I've referred
03:59:46 referred um emphasize how important it is to see the failure of Disclosure by the SDS as a critical failure in the criminal justice
03:59:59 justice process and the comments by the Lord Chief Justice in those cases are mirrored in the review of in the review carried out by Mark Ellison Houston and Alison Morgan in 2015 described as the Ellison
04:00:10 Ellison review not only is the Ellison review
04:00:23 review not only is the Ellison review concerned about failures and disclosure but the review acknowledged that there was a Pity of documents in individual cases and and therefore difficult in determining conclusively how issues relating to the involvement of undercover off in criminal proceedings had been
04:00:37 handled one of the points they made is that the inevitable context that the nature of of the undercovered deployments were such that on occasions their deployments must have generated material which was disclosable in criminal procedings but which was not
04:00:51 criminal procedings but which was not revealed by the SDS to the responsible investigators and prosecutors the events of the star and G provide the first instance of the issues that are raised in subsequent
04:01:02 that are raised in subsequent prosecutions and were considered in the Ellison
04:01:07 Ellison review the policy of total secrecy was a flawed policy that was the policy in the star and demonstration and that is the policy that was carried
04:01:24 through the disregard shown by undercover officer Michael Scott and those responsible for directing and supervising him towards the criminal justice process uh filed through to other demonstrations and other groups uh in 1974 what under
04:01:40 and other groups uh in 1974 what under covering the troops out movement Michael Scott was made aware that he had been accused by Jerry lus of being a police spy his response to that accusation was to confront Jerry lus alone in the
04:01:55 to confront Jerry lus alone in the street and punch him in the face so hard that he broke a
04:02:01 finger we illust we we mention that example simply to say that that shows the level of uh the Brazen level of disregard for the
04:02:13 Brazen level of disregard for the criminal justice process the willingness to infringe the rules and the willingness to attack those who are trying to call people to account it demonstrates that to a very
04:02:26 account it demonstrates that to a very large extent those who are involved in this approach to the criminal justice system and spying on demonstrated consider themselves to be above the legal
04:02:36 process I finish in relation to this part of my opening with a proced issues and uh Miss Heaven on behalf of the coordinating uh nonp police state core participants group uh will address
04:02:50 core participants group uh will address procedural issues of a general nature so I'm just going to highlight a few first of all I mention again uh Mike Ferguson hn 135 Mike Ferguson and the
04:03:01 Ferguson hn 135 Mike Ferguson and the reason I mentioned him is because he is as we understand it unique amongst the undercover officers and this inquiry and there is a restriction in relation to him over his cover name but not his real
04:03:15 name the decision to restrict the cover name was made without personal representations by Lord hay and and we we do mention that requests review the Restriction order that have been made by
04:03:29 Restriction order that have been made by Lord hay following receipt of disclosure from this inquiry have been refused without any response so far the consequences of a Fame to release the cover name of Mike Ferguson prevent those who would be able to give
04:03:40 prevent those who would be able to give information about him from being able to provide that material to this inquiry but there is another dimenstion to it which is significant and why not revealing his cover name is so
04:03:54 revealing his cover name is so problematic because where an undercover officer is confirmed but remains unidentified suspicions are inevitably raised about those who were present at
04:04:08 raised about those who were present at the time one of those active in the SDS in the stop 70s tour was my craft a long-standing anti-ar and peace campaigner he's also a dentist and now following the naming of Mike Ferguson in the true spies
04:04:19 the true spies documentary mcraft contacted Lord Hayne expressing frustration that people had wrongly thought he might have been the police spy on the basis that he had the first
04:04:33 first name mcraft sadly passed away in 2011 and is unable to participate in this inquiry on his behalf these cor participants reject any suggestion and they wish to make it clear they reject any suggestion that he was an undercover undercover officer and are
04:04:44 undercover undercover officer and are saddened by the suggestion that others thought he might be but as this incident shows the need to dispel rumors and false accusations is as much a part of
04:04:55 false accusations is as much a part of getting to the truth as any other aspect of this
04:04:59 of this inquiry in such circumstances the core participants had left done need to express their dissatisfaction over the approach taken by the inquiry about the need to obtain relevant evidence
04:05:12 evidence uh I move on to the failure to engage with potential cor participants uh Christel gurny was a defendant at Star and G demonstration played a key role but she's not a core
04:05:24 played a key role but she's not a core participant of this inquiry and she only gives evidence of the witness other persons who were active in campaigns inspired on during the uh this period have similarly been refused core
04:05:38 period have similarly been refused core participant status and there are number of former members of the workers revolutionary party in 1970s who form into this category CLA Cowen Simon Pani Elizabeth Lester former B has be um and and we they speak for many others the
04:05:50 and we they speak for many others the reporting on the workers revolutionary party is extensive and involving them as cor participants would be helpful but unfortunately uh that's the inquiry has made the decision not to not to involve
04:06:05 made the decision not to not to involve them as cor participants similarly John Lockwood was a member of the swtp and named inquiry evidence he was elected the steering committee of the all Luan
04:06:16 the steering committee of the all Luan campaign Against Racism and fascism was prominent at the lean demonstration he also is not a core participant and other activists who've come forward uh which we who we met who we referred to at paragraph 93 94 of our document also we believe should have
04:06:30 document also we believe should have been core participants of this inquiry could have assisted so in concluding the this section of my opening the targeting of the groups campaigning against the African partti regime appears hard to
04:06:42 African partti regime appears hard to justify and it appears hard to justify because it is hard to justify and we say that not simply from a present day perspective it was unacceptable and
04:06:53 perspective it was unacceptable and disproportionate even judged by the standards at that time these were political and social campaigns of worldwide significance they deserve to remain free from the
04:07:04 deserve to remain free from the influence of undercover police officers the decision to Target Lord Hayne Professor rosenhead Christ Ernie and Ernest rodka as they campaigned against AP partite and to approach what they were doing as there was a threat to
04:07:18 were doing as there was a threat to public order was a political Choice it involved the SDS taking a political approach to its work it was a choice devoid of a proper assessment of
04:07:30 devoid of a proper assessment of proportionality in making that decision we suggest the STS made a serious and Grave error in the way it treated the anti-ap partite movement this inquiry should confirm that error as a matter of historical record if there is ever to be
04:07:44 historical record if there is ever to be confidence in a surveillance system that went badly arai we are ever to have confidence in it again then we must find ways to ensure similar eras that
04:07:55 ways to ensure similar eras that occurred in relation to these core participants do not occur in the future so that point I'll move on uh unless you want me to deal with anything coming out to the star on G
04:08:09 coming out to the star on G demonstration I'll move on to the second part is Senor STS and I think that will take me approximately 25
04:08:16 minutes that's absolutely fine can I just confirm in relation to the star and G that you have read The Exchange that I had with um Mr Skelton yesterday I'm sorry I I I missed a word there sir that
04:08:34 sorry I I I missed a word there sir that I can you confirm that you have read The Exchange the transcript of the exchange that I had with Mr skeleton yesterday yes I
04:08:35 yes I have NE more about it at this stage yes I've read it we we we have a view about the terms of reference and the approach that the chair should take to reference
04:08:48 that the chair should take to reference is I've I've had an opportunity to speak to Mr Skelton about it you may be pleased to hear that certainly from the conversation we had yesterday it looks like we are he and I at least are very much in agreement on the approach so it might be that we can provide to you an
04:09:03 might be that we can provide to you an agreed document hopefully and uh suggest that what we both think to be the the right approach to the terms of reference thank you very much I'm grateful to both of you for that um I'll turn then on to the uh second part of my opening which
04:09:21 the uh second part of my opening which is uh relates to CIA stubs uh and I uh I I'll really finish with
04:09:27 that c stubs is a core participant in this inquiry um because of her relationship with Blair Peach in the campaign that she did in relation to his death Blair Peach was killed by a police
04:09:44 death Blair Peach was killed by a police officer in April 1979 he was attending a demonstration in West London police officers all lighted from a vehicle and struck a blow to Blair Peach's head that killed him Celia stubs the core
04:09:56 killed him Celia stubs the core participant in this inquiry was Blair Peach's partner at the time she has campaigned for justice and relation in relation to Blair Peach's death ever since no police officers were ever
04:10:08 since no police officers were ever brought to Justice for the killing of Blair Peach that is because of a concerted and coordinated police coverup fellow officers refused to provide
04:10:21 fellow officers refused to provide important evidence a key report the cast report that identified the officer suspected to have struck the blow was withheld from those representing senior Stars at the inquest into Blair pein's
04:10:42 Stars at the inquest into Blair pein's death senior stubs is a core participant in this inquiry because she was placed under surveillance while doing the campaigning at the very time that coordinated police coverup and perversion of the course of Justice was taking
04:10:50 taking place the killing of Blair peach by a police officer and the coverup that followed it was and remains one of the
04:11:02 followed it was and remains one of the most notorious events in the history of British policing it is and should be a National
04:11:09 National Disgrace it is a permanent stain on the Metropolitan Police in general and the special Patrol group in particular this inquiry cannot make good the historic Injustice of Blair Peach's killing however it has a unique
04:11:24 killing however it has a unique opportunity to examine the behavior of undercover officers at that time who were deployed to spy on cious dos and others while she was campaigning for accountability and
04:11:40 for accountability and justice the surveillance of senior stubs is of particular significance for the remit of this inquiry and this is because her experience
04:11:51 experience reveals that the SDS from its very interception was corrupted by a misguided political
04:12:02 motivation as socialist anti-racist campaigners Blair Peach and seor STS were the subject of intelligence gathering even before his death but more importantly following Blair te's death those campaigning for police accountability became a core focus of the undercover
04:12:14 focus of the undercover police that abuse and misuse of undercover policing against campaigns by bereaved members of the public occurred in relation to the death of blad Peach
04:12:30 in relation to the death of blad Peach and you will see throughout this inquiry it is a pattern that continued in the years of decades that
04:12:38 followed Senus clubs has set out the details of Blair Peach's tragic death and the subsequent campaign for justice in her statement of the inquiry at this point could we have document D
04:12:50 document D 020 which is a picture of Blair
04:13:06 page
04:13:20 her account reveals the brutality of the special Patrol group of the Metropolitan Police
04:13:24 Police Service and the sustained cover up that followed his death both senior stabs and Blair Peach were campaigners prior to his death on issues which they considered to be important to
04:13:36 important to society Blair Peach was a well respected teacher and trade unionist he was a member of the national Union of teachers and he was particularly concerned with campaigning Against
04:13:51 campaigning Against Racism both cus dos and Blair Peach were members of the international socialist subsequently becoming the Socialist Workers
04:13:52 Workers Party in CIA st's experience these were socialist organizations that believed in Justice in equality and highlighting Injustice and although theoretical
04:14:03 Injustice and although theoretical background was revolutionary socialism their activities were based around every activism and Justice as trade unionist they participated in demonstrations and in anti-racist
04:14:18 demonstrations and in anti-racist activities you can take the picture down there thank
04:14:24 you Senus dos and Blair Peach were both members of the anti-nazi it was that interest which led to their participation in the anti-racist protest in south on the 23rd of April
04:14:37 1979 we've seen I there's no need to put it up on the screen now but we've seen in our opening before a poster from that event which invited attendance at the unity and peace March what was described
04:14:49 unity and peace March what was described as a peaceful sitdown outside South Town Hall the March was in protest against the national front holding meeting in South Town Hall C stubs is at the March but not present with Blair Peach the time of the Fatal blow she witnessed
04:15:05 time of the Fatal blow she witnessed offices on horse and on foot chasing demonstrators into southw park and hitting people with trunch in the course of the March six officers from the SBG all lighted from a van onto the junction of Orchard and Beach CR sorry light lighted from a van onto the junction of Orchard and beachcraft
04:15:24 junction of Orchard and beachcraft avenues Blair Peach was present and one of those SBG officers struck a blow to his head killing him Commander C of the Metropolitan Police Service conducted an intern
04:15:36 Police Service conducted an intern investigation but was met with Silence from the six SPG officers who were present
04:15:38 present by any standards their behavior in shielding a fellow officer from Justice for murdering a member of the public is a
04:15:50 a disgrace Commander Cass concluded that the officers were clearly obstructing police officers carrying out their Duty in investigating this serious matter Commander cass's report was clear that a police officer had killed Blair Peach
04:16:06 police officer had killed Blair Peach and that the officers present intended to protect one another and keep the truth hid
04:16:08 truth hid it was also Commander cass's report itself that confirmed the killer to be the police officer and he identified
04:16:22 the police officer and he identified inspector Murray as the first officer to have alighted from the vehicle before Blair Peach was struck and Commander Cass stated that grave suspicion attached to him however that Eternal report was not made public until April 2010 31 years after Blair Peach's
04:16:37 2010 31 years after Blair Peach's death significantly Commander C's report was not shared with the jury in the inquest covering or the inquest concerning Blair pein's death the inquest was really a travesty of what ought to be expected of an
04:16:48 of what ought to be expected of an inquest and returned a conclusion of misadventure many years after the event it transpired that the coroner John
04:16:59 it transpired that the coroner John Burton had written to ministers partway through the inquest dismissing the belief that Blair Peach was killed by a police officer as political fabrication after the inquest Mr Burton
04:17:11 fabrication after the inquest Mr Burton wrote a draft paper entitled Blair Peach the unpublished story which he proposed to publish it expressed the belief that the national front and the police were
04:17:22 the national front and the police were blameless and the killing was the fault of the demonstrators including Blair Peach
04:17:23 Peach himself the home office internally shared concern that the report would discredit the impartiality of coroners we might feel an understandable conclusion to draw from Mr Burton's
04:17:37 conclusion to draw from Mr Burton's actions and it's public ation could do a great deal of harm in respect of the Home Secretary decision that a public inquiry should be resisted in other words Mr Burton's draft report had
04:17:48 words Mr Burton's draft report had revealed to the home office that there had not been an impartial investigation that there was every reason for a public
04:17:59 reason for a public inquiry but that draft report was kept hidden partly to ensure that a public inquiry could be resisted as a result of the long running campaign for justice for Blair Peach sorry as a result of the long running campaign sorry as as a result the long
04:18:13 campaign sorry as as a result the long running campaign for justice for Blair Peach never achieved its end the campaign did uncover that unauthorized weapons had been found in SPG Lookers at Barnes police station including a lead weighted
04:18:25 including a lead weighted rubber at the home of one of the six spbg officers was found a lead weighted wooden Crush swords and beets and a collection of Nazi regalia
04:18:37 regalia CIA STS has dedicated much of her life following her partner's death campaigns not only for justice for blad H but also to assist others who have suffered
04:18:48 to assist others who have suffered injustices and we set those out in her in our previous opening statement and you'll be aware that the charity inquest
04:18:59 you'll be aware that the charity inquest is in part was in part formed because of the work of Senor studs and she has contributed to a number campaigns including being a member of the Hackney Community defense Association and as she says in her statement all of these campaigns have been about strengthening
04:19:13 campaigns have been about strengthening Civil Society campaigning on issues like legal aid lawyers groups and parliamentary lobbying now we mention all that background because it's against that background of bement and cover up that
04:19:24 background of bement and cover up that Celia Stars has learned that throughout those campaigns the SDA was secretly gathering information about her and her campaigning in relation to the disclosed documents there it's important to not
04:19:38 documents there it's important to not that there are very significant gaps in what has been disclosed it reveals that both Celia stubs and Blair Peach were the subjects of special Branch registry files prior to his death in
04:19:51 to his death in 1979 reference numbers indicate the files were open in 1974 and 1978 but these registry FS have not been attained not been disclosed to senior stubs by the
04:20:04 stubs by the inquiry the SDS reported C this STS as being present at the inaugural public meeting of the hacky community relations Council in 1976 and a meeting of the international
04:20:15 1976 and a meeting of the international socialists in July 1976 but no documents have been
04:20:19 have been disclosed about her or Blair Peach before his death following Blair Peach's death the subsequent campaign for justice was a frequent subject of SDS reporting in foring the SDS annual
04:20:36 reporting in foring the SDS annual report for 1979 and seeking approval for its continuance from the home office it was reported by the assistant commissioner at Scotland Yard that the focal point of so-called extremist activity um held had been the general election in 1979 and the culmination of the virent
04:20:49 1979 and the culmination of the virent anti-fascist demonstrators was the death of the anti-ar supporter Blair Peach and the subsequent campaign against the police it's striking that Blair Peach's death and the subsequent campaign
04:21:03 death and the subsequent campaign against the police was reported by the SS to be a focus they were working reportedly to protect the public from extremists and
04:21:14 from extremists and subversives but at the same time from this very early stage they were justifying their own existence of the home office by reference to surveillance on the campaign in relation to Blair
04:21:27 to Blair Peach the home office responded on the 1st of April 1980 by noting the continuing Valley of a squad and authorizing its continuance the Blair Peach C campaign a campaign in relation to the the killing
04:21:46 campaign in relation to the the killing of someone by police that was covered up was a core reason for the justification of the SDS from these very early stages the Blair Peach campaign featured in various SDS reports such a report of an swp meeting on the 26 of April
04:21:58 on the 26 of April 1979 uh in May 1979 and so on on 30th of May 197 9 an SDS report attached to leaflet produced by the
04:22:11 attached to leaflet produced by the friends of Blair Peach committee the leaflet described that answers were sought to the questions who killed Blair Peach and why what were the activities of the police what orders were given by whom the lefet suggested action such as
04:22:27 whom the lefet suggested action such as phoning a local radio station writing to a local newspaper contacting a local MP we emphasize this because this is what was considered to be uh an important factor of surveillance in an
04:22:40 important factor of surveillance in an SDS report when on the face of it there is nothing subversive or extremist in that campaign was seeking to gain that information a source of significant distress for C this St that the SS will
04:22:54 distress for C this St that the SS will present at Blair Peach's funeral on the 13th of June 1979 the report lists a number of individuals present at the funeral other reports include photographs of some of those in
04:23:05 those in attendance according to the gist of the close statements one officer describes attending the funeral it said that they would have been expected to attend so they did not and so they did so in support of their cover
04:23:18 support of their cover identities that explanation is not accepted by cious F certainly if they had uh needed to make an excuse not to atttend the funeral or one event they could have
04:23:33 funeral or one event they could have done so but in any event intelligence was gathered and reported and photographs were taken of attendees meant who SDS officers were subsequently asked to identify it is something that has
04:23:46 identify it is something that has tarnished and corrupted the memory of the funeral uh in a way that should never have happened the idea that police having been responsible for the death then
04:23:59 been responsible for the death then responsible for spying on people at the funeral is something very difficult to accept it is clear that the SDS were interested in the methods considered by the friends of Blair Peach committee to further its campaign justice but it's
04:24:10 further its campaign justice but it's very difficult to disentangle legitimate concern with a defensive desire to protect police officers from being called to account particularly since we know of the cover up that was taking place at exactly the same
04:24:24 place at exactly the same time it's also important to note that the SDS interest in the campaign regarding Blair Peach's death did not diminish over the years that followed a report of the 28th of July 1998 with the heading that touching subject reports
04:24:35 heading that touching subject reports that a April 1999 represented the 20th anniversary of the death of Blair Peach and to commemorate the event local trade unions were organizing a large ran demonstration which it was said would be
04:24:55 demonstration which it was said would be presented with a strong anti-racist anti police flavor the report also suggests the event would attract anti- police type groups and the potential for disorder will be significant now this justification for spying on the basis that it would attract hand police groups and there was potentially disorder uh is important because when you examine it might be
04:25:06 because when you examine it might be noted that disorder would represent a departure from the Blair Peach campaign for the preceding 20 years of peaceful
04:25:17 for the preceding 20 years of peaceful campaigning simply wasn't something that could be
04:25:21 could be justified view to the prism of these reports it can be seen that the legitimate campaigns for accountability and Justice were approached in terms of the speculative potential for disorder rather than any evidence to suggest
04:25:33 rather than any evidence to suggest that it is misguided tragic but also disturbing that there was little attempt to see those campaigning against the
04:25:44 to see those campaigning against the police misconduct as potential allies of the police establishment that should have wanted and shared in the common interest for justice ideally the legitimate grievances could have been respected as aligning with important principles of
04:25:59 aligning with important principles of transparency and policing by consent but instead uh the campaigns were characterized as public order risks even when any risk of disorder was at the very highest remote or
04:26:12 very highest remote or unlikely it is clear that the targeting of the Justice campaigns continued and expanded beyond the blad Peach campaign and the period with which this inquiry is concerned and we've set out at paragraph 30 um in a written opening
04:26:24 paragraph 30 um in a written opening statement referen to the Colin roach center with which CN Subs was involved and the activity around that we've also set out the uh C
04:26:36 that we've also set out the uh C involvement in the hacky Community defense Association and their campaign regarding the conviction of Malcolm Kennedy paragraph 32 of our written
04:26:50 Kennedy paragraph 32 of our written opening statement we do make following which we consider to be important and new point because cus stud is also concerned to discover that lawyers who assisted her were the subject of interest of special Branch so Steven sedy now a retired
04:27:08 Branch so Steven sedy now a retired court of appeal judge representing see this scubs as her Barrister at the inquest into Blair Peach's death he is described in a special Branch report of third of February 19
04:27:19 Branch report of third of February 19 1981 as having spoken at a conference on racism and police so Steven is is ascribed a registry phone number and was plainly it seems of interest to special
04:27:35 seems of interest to special Branch it appears also that Mike cord a solicitor who represented Senor stubs was also the subject of a registry file so an additional feature of concern to Senor STS is the manner in which the Metropolitan Police not only spied on lawyer but also
04:27:47 Police not only spied on lawyer but also appears to have instructed their lawyers to present a knowingly false position to the
04:27:53 the inquest and she is concerned with the extent to which their lawyers acques in that
04:28:00 that process it's a miscarriage of Justice not in relation to a criminal conviction but in relation to inquest it's very difficult for her to
04:28:11 inquest it's very difficult for her to reconcile the allegations made against protesters by police lawyers at the inquest and their attempt to deflect responsibility for the killing of Blair Peach away from
04:28:22 Peach away from officers when it seems that at the time they were doing so and taking that approach the police establishment and their lawyers were well aware of the contents of the cast report and they were well aware of the
04:28:35 report and they were well aware of the fact that it was being withheld from the those representing cious STS I move on to the purpose of gathering intelligence regarding the Blair Peach campaign the Gathering of that
04:28:48 campaign the Gathering of that intelligence begs the question as to why it was gathered and to what use it was put doesn't seem it could have been for the purpose of preventing public disorder this is because the
04:28:59 disorder this is because the intelligence rapis to the campaign reveals not just the absence of any disorder or any attempted disorder but
04:29:10 disorder or any attempted disorder but that the campaign was determinedly only using peaceful and lawful legitimate means to carry out its work it was suggested by the designated
04:29:22 work it was suggested by the designated lawyers in the opening prior to part one that SDS Personnel quote did not infiltrate or Target Justice campaigns and that such campaigns were quote only referred to an SDS intelligence report if and to the extent they came into contact with those who
04:29:33 they came into contact with those who were being reported on now that's what we were told by those representing the undercover officers before part one their suggestion appears to have been that any intelligence gathered on
04:29:47 been that any intelligence gathered on Justice campaigns was simply incidental to some other objective or Target if that's the suggestion we now know from the disclosed documents that we seen before this part of the inquiry that the designated lawyer suggestion was
04:29:58 designated lawyer suggestion was incorrect and if it is incorrect it should be corrected and it should be withdrawn the foll is significant firstly as outlined above
04:30:09 significant firstly as outlined above one officer or I've set out above one officer describes targeting the Blair Peach campaign and specifically being tasked to do so in other words he was
04:30:22 tasked to do so in other words he was deliberately targeted with the campaign it wasn't
04:30:26 it wasn't incidental secondly Blair Peach's death and the subsequent campaign was expressly highlighted in annual reports it's untenable to suggest that the campaign itself was not being targeted for surveillance by senior
04:30:40 for surveillance by senior officers thirdly a reasonable reading of the reports undermines the suggestion that surveillance of Justice campaigning was merely incidental to reporting on others frequently the subjects of the report is limited to the Blair Peach campaign itself on other occasions it
04:30:53 campaign itself on other occasions it refers to others linked but similarly legitimate and peaceful campaigns for
04:31:04 justice fourthly if the suggestion of the designated lawyers was correct then it begs a question who was being reported on because the majority reports Detail no one other than law- abiding
04:31:15 Detail no one other than law- abiding citizens and legitimate campaigners such as cus STS who have nothing to do with public
04:31:19 public disorder and lastly it's also apparent that over a period of at least two decades the SDS surveillance covered a large number of Justice campaigns including organizations such as the Colin roach Center and again it's
04:31:30 Colin roach Center and again it's untenable to suggest that this happened only incidentally or by
04:31:39 chance there is a document which relates not to the Gathering of information on the Blair Peach campaign but the use to which that information was put and it reveals the use of intelligence gathered
04:31:53 reveals the use of intelligence gathered by the SDS not for any purpose connected with this order but for use by the Metropolitan Police Service in responding to the Blair Peach campaign a special Branch mem of the 25th of April 1980 reports special Branch officers having met with the deputy assistant Commissioner of
04:32:06 deputy assistant Commissioner of operations Metropolitan Police regarding the friends of the Blair Peach committee and consideration being given to applying for a high court injunction to prohibit further publication of the
04:32:19 to prohibit further publication of the names of SPG officers allegedly involved in Peach's murder a described in that memorandum the deputy assistant commissioner was told the friends of Blair Peach campaign was an umbrella organization dominated
04:32:31 was an umbrella organization dominated by the swp and anti leag and a number of leading Figures were identified including cious STS as was as was the location from which the committee
04:32:41 operated this was all around a time of inquest regarding Blair Peach's death it's clear that the SDS information was circulated by special Branch to very
04:32:52 circulated by special Branch to very senior officers within the Metropolitan bise service to assist in its response to the actions of the friends of the Blair Peach committee and to determine whether a high court injunction should be
04:33:00 be sought the fact that special Branch maintained FS on lawyers that such as sued in s Mike C as to that picture of
04:33:14 sued in s Mike C as to that picture of covert intelligence gathering being used for purpose for purposes very different from Simply protecting the public against
04:33:18 against disorder the relationship between lawyer and client is or at least ought to be sausag to see this STS it is immensely disturbing that those who represented her and from whom she expects to receive confidential advice with the subject of
04:33:38 surveillance I move on to policing public disorder and intelligence
04:33:44 gathering the fact that intelligence gathering on the Blair Peach campaign has little if anything to do in public order is also consistent with what appears to have been the broader and
04:33:57 appears to have been the broader and general intelligence gathering of the SDS for the security services and special
04:33:58 special Branch a component of intelligence gathering appears to have been overtly political focusing on lifing activity it's the same point point that I emphasized earlier when we were when I
04:34:10 emphasized earlier when we were when I was going through the targeting of the anti-art movement paragraph 42 of our
04:34:22 anti-art movement paragraph 42 of our written opening statement we quote from a 1976 special Branch memo which again appears to emphasize the focus the political nature of the
04:34:35 activity this is made explicit not only in relation to the political Focus but also in exactly the same way the relationship between the SDS surveillance and the request of the security services for for that surveillance to be carried
04:34:48 surveillance to be carried out hn 353 for example states that much of the information he provided was probably more helpful to the security services and the police and I don't think anything I witnessed was actually
04:35:02 subversive one of the most significant uh matters for you to consider sir in this part of the inquiry particularly given this the material that you'll be looking at and and the time period you'll be looking at is the fact of missing evidence it doesn't appear to be
04:35:16 missing evidence it doesn't appear to be missing just through the passage of time but is conspicuous by its absence it's apparent that that the disclosed documents reveal only a fraction of the intelligence gathering of the SDS a number of undercover
04:35:28 of the SDS a number of undercover officers observed that they uh drafted a considerably greater number of reports than has been shown to them for example
04:35:40 than has been shown to them for example hn 299 explains that he would attend six meetings a week and a demonstration at the weekend and put in a report for every
04:35:43 every meeting yet there are fewer than 2 reports in his witness pack given that the 1979 annual report highlights the Blair Peach campaign as one of the key focuses of that year one would have expected to see it in a greater number of
04:35:56 greater number of documents it's also evident that the intelligence was gathered and placed in registry files yet those registry files have not been obtained and disclosed by the
04:36:08 the the registry files we say would give a more complete picture of the intelligence gathered on any given individual and of whether and to what extent particular individuals were
04:36:21 extent particular individuals were targeted what also causes concern is not just if documents are missing but much more importantly which documents are missing it's striking for example in relation to the controversial events of red Lon square and the death of Kevin
04:36:38 red Lon square and the death of Kevin gatley in 1974 and in relation to South Hall the death of BL Peach virtually nothing exists notwithstanding or unfortunately we would say more likely because of the two fatalities that occurred at those events to the extent that the SS was
04:36:56 events to the extent that the SS was importantly concerned at least in part with public disorder one would expect detailed reports on such significant events for example in relation to National front March in Lewis 1977 there is a 56 page report which describes events lead to the March and the March
04:37:10 events lead to the March and the March itself there's a further six-page report documenting the detailed debriefing of special Branch officers who had been present as one officer described most of my reporting would have been about demonstrations this would include
04:37:22 demonstrations this would include reporting advance of demonstration about likely numbers location information I picked up about the demonstration if it was a big demonstration there might be reports from two or three SDS officers now against that background there is nothing in relation to Red Line
04:37:36 in relation to Red Line Square when we suggest you will find you should find that the only reasonable influence is that these reports were considered so damaging to the police they've been deliberately destroyed hn31 recalls being present at Red Line square and being punched by a
04:37:50 Red Line square and being punched by a police officer not having done anything to Warrant being hit his reports are missing and these omissions we suggest should trouble the inquiry in the scarman report one of the key issues identified as contributing to the events was a misunderstanding between
04:38:04 was a misunderstanding between organizers and the police as the root of the demonstration these are precisely the matters upon which the SDS would be expected to report particularly in the circumstan the 1970 annual report identified as the most traumatic of the
04:38:22 year as far as C stops is concerned it's pertinent the same applies in relation to the March and southp and we are particularly concerned about the absence of a report because uh
04:38:35 about the absence of a report because uh there was a reference in the material in relation to part one and I so uh it's not in our written opening and I put this reference in it may be useful to give you reference now ms-07
04:38:44 ms-07 33404 is a reference uh to uh material that was disclosed in relation to part
04:38:55 that was disclosed in relation to part one that seems to refer to a Blair peach or a report about the South Hall demonstration and yet nothing has been disclosed to us so either that report has been
04:39:06 has been destroyed or that report hasn't been disclosed but one way or another CIA STS is not seeing the full extent of the information the reporting that would have been present in relation to that
04:39:24 demonstration in the gist of the close statements uh it seems that one officer was pres demonstration of which Blair Peach sustain fatal injuries it stated that in both instances Advanced and retrospective intelligence provided at these
04:39:33 these events but there seems to be no documentation to support that despite the explicit confirmation that such intelligence was supplied by SS offices
04:39:44 intelligence was supplied by SS offices not a single document has been disclosed and we don't understand why what is most troubling about the missing evidence is that it leads to an an inexorable conclusion that imported
04:39:56 an inexorable conclusion that imported material directly relevant to the role of undercover policing respect to the most controversial notorious historic events has been deliberately withheld uh from the inquiry or for some reason has
04:40:09 from the inquiry or for some reason has not been disclosed to core participants by the
04:40:10 by the inquiry on a structural level this strikes at the very heart of the remit and purpose of the inquiry and so we would ask you to make clear if you have not been able to see
04:40:22 not been able to see information that appears to have been in existence at one time to make that clear because the absence of that documentation the ABS of that
04:40:33 documentation the ABS of that information is an important feature of what has gone wrong in this process on a personal level for those who' have been bed such as senior studs it is yet another example of the of the obstruction she has faced in her search for truth and
04:40:45 for truth and accountability the absence of any intelligence in relation to the pring of the event still leaves open the question of whether he or any of his companions of the day had been specifically
04:41:04 targeted it's apparent on reviewing the disclosed document there remains sign ific difficulty in understanding the extent and the motivations of the SCS work and that is largely due part largely due to missing documents it's also in part because the
04:41:20 documents it's also in part because the evidence Gathering process is of itself weighted towards a narrative of events being revealed through the perspective of the SDs that may be there may be some inevitability about that but we ask you to take that strongly into account the
04:41:31 to take that strongly into account the primary documents are almost exclusively documents created by the SDS and special Branch they describe events as told through the perspectives of those authors some documents notably the
04:41:45 authors some documents notably the annual reports are drafted specifically to justify the SS's existence these documents are an importance and are an important starting point yes but they also present a one-sided
04:41:58 one-sided narrative the opportunity for a fair and balance narrative has been limited non-state core participants had the opportunity to provide witness statement some time ago but it was at the time because of the way the inquiry set up
04:42:09 because of the way the inquiry set up where there was limited disclosure the statements were therefore provided at a time when the activities and interests of the SDS weren't known to the core participants or Witnesses other than in the most General sense in contrast the
04:42:23 the most General sense in contrast the police material that's been available to the inquiry for a matter of years it's and it's been available to non they call participants only a few weeks prior to the
04:42:32 the hearing the opportunity for a genuine forensic examination of Rel material has been lost and it's replaced with a set of witness statements by undercover
04:42:45 of witness statements by undercover officers that necessarily establish an accepted narrative about the function ethics and practice of the SDS so there hasn't been a real opportunity to input into which Witnesses are called to give evidence and
04:42:59 evidence and how one important opportunity to test a narrative told by the SDS documents is in the question of witnesses and number of
04:43:05 of those representing non-state cor
04:43:16 those representing non-state cor participants have addressed you on this point the scope for representatives of the non-state cor participants to ask questions is We join with this this concern is extremely limited it compounds a sense of unfairness and CIA STS urges the inquiry to to find a way to re-engage with non-state core
04:43:29 to re-engage with non-state core participants at the conclusion of this phase of the hearings in order to consider whether disclosure and question of witnesses can improve Pro the process and and turn it into one which better
04:43:40 and and turn it into one which better facilitates par the proper participation of non-state core participants despite of all the points uh I've made above the inquiry must still do what it can in this
04:43:51 still do what it can in this phase it must still try to test the purported justifications of the SDS work and to understand the actual uses to which the gathered intelligence was put
04:44:02 which the gathered intelligence was put CIA stud has always been someone who was campaigned uh in accordance with the law and in accordance with her the legitimate rights she has Blair peach 2 was a campaigner uh seeking to
04:44:16 was a campaigner uh seeking to to push forward uh the right approach to people's rights anti-racism and to do so in a way that brought people
04:44:30 in a way that brought people together they have sought to do so in an environment in which at the same time they were both placed under surveillance and Senor stub's work was a subject of significant
04:44:42 scrutiny not only is she here because of BL Peach's killing but she's here because of the surveillance she was put under and her desire for answers and
04:44:56 accountability it is not for her to have to explain why she should not have been the subject of surveillance it is for the state to justify why it engaged in such significant and covert intrusions into
04:45:13 significant and covert intrusions into the private lives and activities of hers of her and others who are involved in the campaign for justice for BL page this inquiry we hope will forensically test any justifications that are being put
04:45:26 that are being put forward as it appears to see stubs the disclosed documents do not reveal in justification at all for the covert Gathering of Intelligence on her or the campaign regarding the killing of Blair pin
04:45:38 pin finally C stubs and her legal team would like to thank the chair for permitting access to these to this hearing bundle to Dr Graham Smith another core participant in the leading academic in police
04:45:49 police accountability the work in preparing for
04:45:58 accountability the work in preparing for these hearings has been greatly assisted by his input and we mention it because you as chair may wish to consider the contribution that can be made by academics and researchers if they have an opportunity to look at all the material
04:46:06 material that could be available in the as the inquiry
04:46:07 inquiry progresses so thank you very much for allowing me to go over my lot of time I'm very
04:46:13 I'm very grateful thank you you had a lot of ground to cover and I make no criticism of the fact that you went over the allotted
04:46:24 allotted time as you and we all know tomorrow is the 42nd anniversary of the date on which the blow which caused blur Peach's death was struck uh although we are
04:46:38 death was struck uh although we are holding a hearing tomorrow and we will begin at 10: it will begin with me uh
04:46:51 begin at 10: it will begin with me uh saying something uh about that event in terms that I know would been approved by CS dubs and uh as in the case of Steven Lawrence holding a minute silence to remember him thank
04:47:03 him thank you
04:47:05 you we will now adjourn therefore until
04:47:16 tomorrow thank you everyone the opening statements have now finished for the day we shall resume at 10: a.m.