"Francis said special branch, the secretive police division that directed the undercover unit, was 100% racist towards the Lawrence family, viewing them as unable to think for themselves or come up with and run their campaign themselves, so it was considered they must be being led by someone else. The inquiry is examining as one of its main issues how and why undercover officers employed by the SDS collected information about Doreen and Neville Lawrence, Stephen's parents, and their supporters."
"He is the only undercover officer who has blown the whistle on the covert operations of his former unit, the special demonstration squad (SDS), and has over many years detailed its misconduct and inner workings. The Met has apologised for putting the Lawrences under surveillance. About 139 undercover officers spied on tens of thousands of mainly leftwing activists between 1968 and at least 2010."
Peter Francis testified that two senior officers who supervised the special demonstration squad used extremely racist language, including the N-word and other explicit slurs. He reported racist banter among undercover officers while embedded in the Metropolitan police unit during the 1990s. Special Branch reportedly viewed the Lawrence family as incapable of running their own campaign and assumed outside control. The inquiry examines why SDS officers collected information on Doreen and Neville Lawrence and their supporters. The Metropolitan Police has apologised for surveilling the Lawrences. About 139 undercover officers spied on tens of thousands of mainly leftwing activists between 1968 and at least 2010.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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