NEW SCOTLAND YARD has been blockaded today by protesters angry at the police’s use of undercover agents.
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In the last few weeks it has emerged that officers routinely infiltrated campaigning groups, especially environmental organisations, and that many of those officers slept with female activists.
“This is just an abhorrent thing to happen,” Sam Lyas, one of those taking part in today’s blockade, told the Press Association.
“The police specifically condone undercover policemen having sex to glean information. It’s sanctioned by the state.”
Sophie Stephens, speaking for the group blockading the Met’s HQ, said: “It’s time for the abuse of women by undercover police officers to stop.
“If a person is pretending to be somebody else, if they are spying on you, then you absolutely cannot give your informed consent.
Last week it also emerged that undercover Metropolitan Police agents pretended to be anti-capitalist demonstrators at the anti-G20 march back in 2009, an event at which a bystrander was killed after being beaten by a police officer.
Today’s demonstrators are calling for an official inquiry into the use of undercover agents and for officers involved in these kinds of covert activities to be named. The National Public Order Intelligence Unit, which runs the police’s political spy network, is said to employ 100 staff.
Tomorrow, the man in charge of the police’s G20 operation, Commander Bob Broadhurst, goes before the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee to explain why he and the Met denied for so long employing undercover officers at the G20 protests.
