Cain.. Your thoughts on this?

[Pope Pixie Pickle]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun/23/stephen-lawrence-undercover-police-smears?CMP=twt_gu&utm_content=buffer21ad1&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer

i am unsurprised, but i am no less pissed off.

[Junkenstein]

The UK has been target "domestic extremists" for quite a while and this just seems to be an extension of that.

Francis has decided to reveal his true identity so he can openly call for a public inquiry into undercover policing of protest. "There are many things that I've seen that have been morally wrong, morally reprehensible," he said. "Should we, as police officers, have the power to basically undermine political campaigns? I think that the clear answer to that is no."

No doubt the IPCC will find no problems here. The Met has no issues with racism.

unrelated - All planned protests (If it's not planned, it's illegal) usually have police briefed beforehand about likely attendees and faces to keep an eye out for. Guys like the one in the article are probably key in co-coordinating police movements and strategy in protest situations.

I'd guess this would imply there to be a few police officers disguised as protesters during the London Riots too.

[Junkenstein]

Also this:

"I had to get any information on what was happening in the Stephen Lawrence campaign," Francis said. "They wanted the campaign to stop. It was felt it was going to turn into an elephant.

"Throughout my deployment there was almost constant pressure on me personally to find out anything I could that would discredit these campaigns."

Makes me think that this will not be the only officer instructed to gather information in this way. Being personally instructed to discredit a campaign is all kinds of fucked up. This needs a serious look at and those who gave the instruction probably need a good kicking.

[Cain]

I still think the police corruption lense is the best one to view the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry through, as it seems the police have no problem with being called racist, but have tried very, very hard to avoid accusations of corruption.

A BBC investigation alleged that the murder inquiry's Det. Sgt. John Davidson had taken money from known drug smuggler Clifford Norris, the father of David Norris, a chief suspect in the investigation. Neil Putnam, a former corrupt police detective turned whistleblower, told a BBC investigation that Clifford Norris was paying Mr Davidson to obstruct the case and to protect the suspects

Clifford Norris is known to have "friends in the force".  Corrupt officers within the Met are directly involved in the UK drug trade.  And those who inquire too closely end up dead.

It's not a huge leap in logic to guess that corrupt officers within the force were involved with Norris, and when his son was fingered in the investigation, they were paid to hush it up anyway they could.

Notice the controversy is about the SDS and undercover policing - the former a "retired" (renamed) unit, and the latter being something that will never stop.  Got to keep the accusations of institutional Met corruption at bay at all costs.

[Junkenstein]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/23/police-infiltration-of-greenpeace-sparked-britains-mclibel-scandal/

This is somewhat related. Anyone remember the Mclibel case? Seems that undercover police were key in creating the reasons for the lawsuit in the first place.

Between this, the OP and the constant barrage of revelations relating to corruption and bribes within the Met, It's amazing that any criminals are actually caught, ever. 

[Cain]

I have to say, I'm actually somewhat annoyed at you over this thread, Pixie.  Not least because I know you've read this thread.  I answered because I thought I might actually get a reply, and maybe some discussion going about corruption in the Met.  Seems I was mistaken, though.

Lesson learnt, I guess.

[Junkenstein]

Calls today for Leveson style inquiry into the Met.

HA HA HA. Yeah, I can see that going well. In 10 years or so we may find out that the police force had a couple of problems with racism, sexism and corruption but that's in the past. Bad apples and all that. 

Cain, I assume nothing will come from this call to re-open that murder investigation you linked to. Is it just a political exercise with some people reminding others that they know where the bodies (Or murder weapons) are hidden? Just seems kind of fruitless as they've already stated that they expect to catch no-one. Looking at "Procedural failings" and the like. Which sounds like code for "Fucking about".

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I have to say, I'm actually somewhat annoyed at you over this thread, Pixie.  Not least because I know you've read this thread.  I answered because I thought I might actually get a reply, and maybe some discussion going about corruption in the Met.  Seems I was mistaken, though.

Lesson learnt, I guess.

THINK FOR ME, THINKMONKEY! THINK, MONKEY, THINK!

That aside, the fact that they were willing to put that much effort into deflecting actual investigation into the case raises a ton of questions, such as... why did they want to NOT investigate so badly? Were they protecting someone?

[Junkenstein]

Ugh, there's more:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23048266

he Met Police secretly recorded its officers' meetings with Stephen Lawrence's friend Duwayne Brooks and his lawyer, the BBC has learned.

Mr Brooks was with the 18-year-old on the night he was killed in a racist attack in 1993 in Eltham, south London.

Mr Brooks and his lawyer were unaware that the meetings were being recorded.

Scotland Yard said its directorate of professional standards was looking into the claim and treating it with "huge seriousness".

An undercover policeman has alleged that he was also instructed to find information that could discredit Mr Brooks.

It's stank for years and it seems the smell is now getting difficult to ignore. If this actually gets any kind of formal enquiry, It's going to cause a lot of shit. There must be quite a few people involved by now that could see criminal charges, or at least dismissal.

[Pope Pixie Pickle]

I have to say, I'm actually somewhat annoyed at you over this thread, Pixie.  Not least because I know you've read this thread.  I answered because I thought I might actually get a reply, and maybe some discussion going about corruption in the Met.  Seems I was mistaken, though.

Lesson learnt, I guess.

Sorry. after i posted this yesterday I had to clean the kitchen, avoid mental breakdown and deal with my shitty housemate and actually teach him how to clean a fucking bathroom, do minutes for a meeting and then get everything fixed for a tabletop game. in between the game and finding out how abusive he was/is to his girlfriend and panic attack avoidance I played some titan quest to decompress.


My food is ready, so I will try and get back to this later/in the morning? (I have a meeting at 5 and no bastard has bothered to write the fucking agenda).

[Pope Pixie Pickle]

My main consideration on this is- How much of these tactics are being used now in protest/political movements? the unit was shut down in 2008 and obviously with the Met being in hot water it'd be less likely to not at all.

My thinking is that it might be pretty obsolete with the internet unless people use decent proxies and encryption, and these things take fucking ages to actually come out of the woodwork so if they are happening now we won't find out until much much later.

however some digging is revealed this

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jun/25/undercover-police-domestic-extremism-unit

yup. still happening, Methods might be different but same shit, different name.