The No Police Spies campaign
No Police Spies | 22.02.2011 18:41 | Social Struggles | World
The No Police Spies campaign has been set up to call for an independent judge-led inquiry into the police infiltration of protest groups. We are seeking a wide-ranging inquiry, that will addres the many and serious issues that have emerged in recent weeks following the exposure of undercover police officers operting inside the UK protest movement.
The issue of out-of-control undercover policing has led to widespread media and public outrage. Yet, we feel that we only stand a chance of holding the police to account for this disgraceful practice if all the facts are laid bare and made public, and the police are forced to answer the many serious questions that have emerged. An independent public inquiry will go a long way to holding the police to account, and may even lead to changes which significantly reduce police powers.
The police do not want a public inquiry. They’ve tried to drown out talk of a proper inquiry by launching four investigations of their own, all of which are being conducted by bodies barely at arm’s length from those whose decisions are being investigated, and all hopelessly narrow in remit. They’ve also tried to diffuse the pressure with a couple of ill-thought through reforms, such as moving the unit responsible for spying on protesters to under the command of the anti-terror chief.
The police know that many of their actions are unjustifiable and in several cases could well be illegal. These actions include but are not limited to serious allegations such as suppressing evidence from the courts, sexual misconduct of serving officers and officers acting as agents provocateurs. Police-led inquiries will not adequately address these issues. Our bets chance of holding the police to account and forcing changes in law which may reduce their powers is to push for an independent inquiry. As the police run for cover, seeking to avoid scrutiny as they’ve been doing for years, our determination to press for answers only grows.
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No Police Spies came out of small group of individuals who felt this was a good course of action to pursue. However, No Police Spies doesn’t in any way wish to be seen as “the movement’s response” to the revelations that have emerged – it is simply one response among many. A whole range of responses are taking shape, and will take shape in the future. These may range from the practical to the legal to the political. The effects of undercover police officers, combined with the diversity of groups they infiltrated, mean that there was never going to be a single appropriate response.
No Police Spies is an autonomous campaign. It does not seek to speak for any group or individuals.
We are aware some groups may not want to have their name directly associated with the campaign for political or legal reasons. To this end we have now put a disclaimer on the website making clear the campaign is not affiliated to those groups who Mark Kennedy infiltrated. See here: www.nopolicespies.org.uk/disclaimer
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The campaign would very much benefit from wider participation, and needs a variety of skills to be effective. If you are keen to get involved, do contact us at
info@nopolicespies.org.uk
Even if the campaign isn’t really your sort of thing, but you feel there is something we should know, please speak to us. The broader the range of input, the better for all concerned.
Finally, we are aware that the issue of undercover police officers touches on some very sensitive issues, and the last thing anyone campaigning for an end to police spying wants to do is to add to the upset individuals are feeling. To this end, we have set up a specific highly confidential email address for individuals to raise concerns about how the campaign is communicating. We have already made language changes having heard such concerns with individuals, and would be swift to make more should concerns we haven’t yet identified be raised. Email inconfidence@nopolicespies.org.uk
Check out and join:
www.nopolicespies.org.uk
www.facebook.com/nopolicespies
www.twitter.com/nopolicespies
The police do not want a public inquiry. They’ve tried to drown out talk of a proper inquiry by launching four investigations of their own, all of which are being conducted by bodies barely at arm’s length from those whose decisions are being investigated, and all hopelessly narrow in remit. They’ve also tried to diffuse the pressure with a couple of ill-thought through reforms, such as moving the unit responsible for spying on protesters to under the command of the anti-terror chief.
The police know that many of their actions are unjustifiable and in several cases could well be illegal. These actions include but are not limited to serious allegations such as suppressing evidence from the courts, sexual misconduct of serving officers and officers acting as agents provocateurs. Police-led inquiries will not adequately address these issues. Our bets chance of holding the police to account and forcing changes in law which may reduce their powers is to push for an independent inquiry. As the police run for cover, seeking to avoid scrutiny as they’ve been doing for years, our determination to press for answers only grows.
***************
No Police Spies came out of small group of individuals who felt this was a good course of action to pursue. However, No Police Spies doesn’t in any way wish to be seen as “the movement’s response” to the revelations that have emerged – it is simply one response among many. A whole range of responses are taking shape, and will take shape in the future. These may range from the practical to the legal to the political. The effects of undercover police officers, combined with the diversity of groups they infiltrated, mean that there was never going to be a single appropriate response.
No Police Spies is an autonomous campaign. It does not seek to speak for any group or individuals.
We are aware some groups may not want to have their name directly associated with the campaign for political or legal reasons. To this end we have now put a disclaimer on the website making clear the campaign is not affiliated to those groups who Mark Kennedy infiltrated. See here: www.nopolicespies.org.uk/disclaimer
****************
The campaign would very much benefit from wider participation, and needs a variety of skills to be effective. If you are keen to get involved, do contact us at
info@nopolicespies.org.uk Even if the campaign isn’t really your sort of thing, but you feel there is something we should know, please speak to us. The broader the range of input, the better for all concerned.
Finally, we are aware that the issue of undercover police officers touches on some very sensitive issues, and the last thing anyone campaigning for an end to police spying wants to do is to add to the upset individuals are feeling. To this end, we have set up a specific highly confidential email address for individuals to raise concerns about how the campaign is communicating. We have already made language changes having heard such concerns with individuals, and would be swift to make more should concerns we haven’t yet identified be raised. Email
inconfidence@nopolicespies.org.uk Check out and join:
www.nopolicespies.org.uk
www.facebook.com/nopolicespies
www.twitter.com/nopolicespies
No Police Spies
e-mail:
info@nopolicespies.org.uk
Homepage:
http://www.nopolicespies.org.uk
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