Spycops whistleblower says bosses stopped him revealing surveillance of Stephen Lawrence family

"The Macpherson inquiry was examining how the Metropolitan police had failed to investigate properly Stephen's racist murder in 1993. The police faced intense criticism from the Lawrence family and their supporters in a case that came to symbolise police racism. The Lawrences did not find out about the secret monitoring until more than 15 years later. The Met has since apologised to the family for putting them under surveillance."

"The spycops inquiry is examining the conduct of about 139 undercover officers who spied on tens of thousands of political activists between 1968 and at least 2010. This week, the inquiry has been hearing evidence from Francis, the only undercover officer sent to spy on political campaigns who has blown the whistle on its covert work and abusive behaviour. The spycops inquiry was set up in 2014 after Francis disclosed to the Guardian the covert surveillance of the Lawrence family and their supporters."

Peter Francis sought to disclose covert surveillance of the Stephen Lawrence family and their campaign to the Macpherson inquiry but was blocked by senior managers amid hostile exchanges. The Macpherson inquiry examined Metropolitan Police failures in investigating Stephen Lawrence's 1993 racist murder. The Lawrence family did not learn of the secret monitoring until more than 15 years later; the Met later apologised. Francis later provided details to the spycops inquiry, which examines about 139 undercover officers who spied on tens of thousands of activists between 1968 and at least 2010. Francis served in the Special Demonstration Squad and prioritised collecting information on the Lawrence campaign and black justice groups during a four-year deployment.

Read at www.theguardian.com