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21 Apr, 6 tweets, 5 min read
A new round of #SpyCopsInquiry hearings start today, running for the next 3 weeks, examining #SpyCops 1973-82. We'll be live tweeting every day (as will @tombfowler), & we'll publish daily & weekly summary reports on our website campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/ucpi-public-in…
The first 3 days are 'opening statements' which will be live streamed. From Monday, the #SpyCopsInquiry will take evidence from witnesses & it refuses to live stream these. Instead there will be an eye-straining live transcript, & for people in England & Wales a live audio stream
Today's hearing runs 10-4.15. Opening statements are from David Barr QC, Counsel to the Inquiry, who'll be introducing the new hearings. This afternoon we'll hear from Peter Skelton QC representing the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, & Oliver Sanders QC representing #SpyCops.
Kate Wilson's groundbreaking case against the Met for spying on her activism & officer mark Kennedy deceiving her into a relationship continues for another week. Follow live tweets from Kate @fruitbatmania, & @streets, & the hashtag #WeStandWithKate.
You can expect informed & insightful commentary on both sets of this week's #SpyCops proceedings from @UndercoverNet (& members @evelinelubbers @PeterSalmon7 & @bristolnoborder), as well as @out_of_lives & @ARspycatcher (among others!).
You can follow the #SpyCopsInquiry live stream this morning on the Inquiry's YouTube channel, starting at 10am youtube.com/channel/UCNMvb…

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COPS Profile picture
22 Apr
Finally today at the #SpyCopsInquiry, an opening statement from Matthew Ryder QC. He is representing anti-apartheid activists Ernest Rodker, Professor Jonathan Rosenhead & Lord Peter Hain, as well as Blair Peach's partner Celia Stubbs.
From the 1960s there was a large anti apartheid movement around the world. They were right, and their opponents were wrong. The British government appeased & supported a regime it should have opposed.
It should be a matter of deep regret that #spycops targeted anti apartheid campaigners. The real threat to democracy was apartheid itself.
Read 62 tweets
COPS Profile picture
22 Apr
The #SpyCopsInquiry resumes with an opening statement from Phillippa Kaufmann QC, representing 'Category H Core Participants' (Individuals in Relationships with Undercover Officers)
It's clear that in the era examined 1973-82, numerous #SpyCops had sexual relationships with women - those they spied on & those they came into contact with socially while undercover.
We were told it was infrequent, but the documents now give a different picture. 8 officers in 5 years. HN300 & perhaps HN67 had children with women they'd spied on.
Read 52 tweets
COPS Profile picture
22 Apr
Next at the #SpyCopsInquiry is an opening statement from 'Madeleine', deceived into a relationship by #SpyCops office ‘Vince Miller‘ (HN354, 1976-79)
The relationship was summer-autumn 1979. He infiltrated my SWP branch. He claims he only had 4 one night stands, but that's not true. His real name is going to be published, but it should never have been kept secret
We pose no threat to the officers, none of them should have names withheld. Secrecy stops us knowing the full extent of what #SpyCops did.
Read 38 tweets
COPS Profile picture
22 Apr
The first #SpyCopsInquiry speaker today is Diane Langford, an activist in groups who were infiltrated by #SpyCops in the era that the current hearings are examining (1973-82). This is her opening statement, she will also give evidence on the afternoon of Monday 26th April.
As a young person Langford saw injustice in Aotearoa/NZ, racism, sexism and class discrimination. In 2010 she wrote a blog on outing a #SpyCops officer which by chance was seen by a lawyer. What opportunities were denied to me due to police files & surveillance?
I was only aware of Dave Robertson HN45, but I was alslo spied on by HN348 who spied on women s liberation, & others reported on me such as 'Dick Epps'. The Inquiry failed to ask me to give evidence in Phase 1.
Read 44 tweets
COPS Profile picture
22 Apr
The current #SpyCopsInquiry hearings run for 3 weeks, focusing on 1973-82. Today will begin at 10am with a minute's silence for #StephenLawrenceDay, after which we'll hear opening statements from:
- Diane Langford (spied-on activist)
- "Madeleine" (deceived into a relationship by ‘Vince Miller‘ HN354, 1976-79)
- Phillippa Kaufmann QC, representing people in relationships with #SpyCops
- Matthew Ryder QC, representing 3 anti-apartheid activists & Celia Stubbs, Blair Peach's partner.
We'll be live tweeting this & every other #SpyCopsInquiry hearing (alongside @tombfowler), & we'll publish a detailed daily report on our website. Here's yesterday's:
campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2021/04/21/ucp…
Read 4 tweets
COPS Profile picture
21 Apr
Finally today at the #SpyCopsInquiry, Oliver Sanders QC, representing 114 #SpyCops. Brace yourselves, his opening statement at the first Inquiry hearings was shocking, rowing back on matters of fact & responsibility the Met have long agreed & accepted campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2020/11/03/ucp…
Sanders reiterates Skelton's point that without complete evidence there can't be fully informed findings [all that shredding paying off now, huh?]. This is reliant on what MI5 retained & have supplied. Some officers remember reports & events that have no documents.
Of the fraction of material that survives, a fraction of that in turn is released to the public, and even then it's redacted [all that lobbying the Inquiry to keep things secret paying off now, huh?] so people get the wrong idea.
Read 30 tweets

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