The Grenfell inquiry is not the first inquiry into state wrongdoing that has had vital evidence inexplicably destroyed. It's so common that you could see it as something akin to standard practice.
Earlier this year an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct found #SpyCops had destroyed files despite explicit orders to preserve all documents for the forthcoming @ucpinquiry public inquiry.
Sarah Green, IOPC regional director, said “it is extremely unfortunate that a number of former police managers have refused to engage with this investigation”. The Met continue to be custodians of evidence that incriminates their own #SpyCops. httpscontinuesmetro.co.uk/2020/03/18/met…
.@GreenJennyJones was spied on when she was a member of the Greater London Authority & the Met's scrutiny body the Metropolitan Police Authority. When she asked for answers in 2014, #SpyCops destroyed her files without keeping copies. theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/j…
The Stephen Lawrence Review found evidence of police corruption, including one of the investigating officers being on the payroll of the father of one of the killers. Full details were unavailable due to unexplained destruction of 'a lorry-load' of files bbc.com/news/uk-266213…
At Hillsborough, CCTV tapes were stolen from a locked cupboard inside a locked, alarmed room. No sign of entry & the alarm didn't go off. When the theft was reported, police wrote at the bottom of the sheet 'NO PUBLICITY RE THIS OFFENCE', with 'NO PUBLICITY' underlined twice
When PC Ian Harwood killed Ian Tomlinson in 2009, police & the Independent Police Complaints Commission tried to prevent footage being seen. They said there were no CCTV cameras. After photos of 6 were posted on social media, they had to admit they existed theguardian.com/uk/2009/apr/14…
When footage of the fatal attack on Ian Tomlinson was published by the Guardian, police & IPCC went to their offices to insist it be taken down lest it upset Tomlinson's family. They told the family the assailant might be a protester in a stolen uniform theguardian.com/uk/2009/jun/30…
The inquest into the police killing Jean Charles de Menezes didn't see any CCTV footage of the platform. Police said there'd been 'a technical problem' with it system, but the Tube Lines consortium who maintain the system said it was in full working order independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/…
The family of Jean Charles de Menezes, like the family of Stephen Lawrence & many others simply seeking the truth of what happened to their late loved one, were targeted by #SpyCops. Resources that should have been spent holding the guilty to account were used to obstruct justice
Victims of state wrongdoing face a double injustice. First, there is what is done to them. Second, there are the obstacles, delays, smears, & chicanery that the state uses to create a protracted & gruelling path towards any measure of truth & justice.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
Again , there is no public live-stream today, so the only way to follow Helen's evidence to the #spycops inquiry is via tweets here (and occasional reaction videos throughout the day hosted by @tombfowler
Helen Steel returns to the #spycops inquiry today to give evidence for a second time.
Today’s hearing will be starting slightly later than planned...
Helen says she remembers the impact Channel 4’s broadcast of the ‘Animals’ film had on the British public – the animal rights movement ‘mushroomed’ after that.
#spycops
Geoff Sheppard appears remotely again today, for continued questioning by David Barr KC.
Barr got straight into it, with no preamble. Sheppard had to reassert what he’d said yesterday about not being prepared to refer to ‘Mr X’ by any other name.
#spycops
In the witness statement he provided back in 2017, he said that he’d been recruited to take part in the incendiary device action by a ‘fourth person’. Did he mean Paul Gravett or Person X?
The #spycops inquiry didn't hold a hearing this morning.
This afternoon's hearing - featuring Geoff Sheppard - starts at 2pm.
To follow proceedings, check out twitch.tv/ucpinquiry for a handy round-up of whatever evidence can be tweeted/ shared publicly. With added music. x.com/ucpinquiry/sta…
David Barr KC led the Inquiry’s questioning of Geiff Sheppard, and went straight into looking at Sheppard’s witness statement, supplied to the Inquiry in July 2024
He says that since writing that statement, he has changed his views somewhat.
He no longer thinks there was any justification for the deployment of undercovers in the animal rights movement.
Follow @tombfowler for updates from the hearing room.
Some of those spied upon (and their lawyers) have now been granted access via Zoom, thanks to the arguments made by lawyers in Tuesday morning's hearing.
However many of the people whose lives have been impacted by the abusive intrusive practices of the SDS and other #spycops units - and the wider public, who are understandably interested in this issue - are still not able to watch or hear these proceedings....
..unless they are able to take time off work/ away from other commitments, and travel to the hearing room in London on the days the Inquiry sits (and there is space in the public gallery for them).
Not what is normally understood as 'open justice'.
Martyn Lowe is giving evidence at the @ucpinquiry this afternoon.
You can watch today's proceedings at
Martyn confirmed his involvement in the Peace Pledge Union, part of War Resisters International (WRI), a pacifist organisation with sections across the world. They support conscientious objectors, and are recognised by the United Nations.
The Inquiry asked him to explain what he meant be ‘nonviolence’? A philosophy about not causing any hurt to any individual. He states that he would not be willing to join any group that advocated violence.
These hearings are being live-streamed on Youtube, so from 10am onwards you'll be able to watch the proceedings as they happen -
First up today is Rajiv Menon KC
He represents three men who were politically active in the period covered by this 'Tranche' of the @ucpinquiry – the years 1968-82 – Tariq Ali, Piers Corbyn and Ernie Tate.