Undercover officer played role in Stephen Lawrence inquiry clashes

"The decade-old Undercover Policing Inquiry, which began its latest phase of hearings on Monday, heard that there may be evidence of overt racism in how a now-disbanded team targeted black justice campaigners in the 1990s. Officers gathered information relating to Baroness Lawrence and Dr Neville Lawrence as they fought for justice over their son's 1993 racist murder, even though they had nothing to do with groups which the police force believed could be a danger to public order."

"The inquiry - which has cost 114m so far - began in 2015 after allegations emerged of abuses by undercover officers, including deceiving women into sexual relationships. In an opening statement on Monday, the inquiry's lead lawyer David Barr KC said it would hear "deeply moving" evidence from justice campaigners including the Lawrence family and Sukdev Reel, whose son Ricky died in 1997 in what many suspect was a racist murder."

An undercover police officer participated in clashes during proceedings linked to the Stephen Lawrence case as part of his cover to infiltrate anti-racism groups. The Undercover Policing Inquiry heard there may be overt racism in how a disbanded team targeted Black justice campaigners in the 1990s. Officers gathered intelligence on Baroness Lawrence and Dr Neville Lawrence while they campaigned for justice over their son's 1993 racist murder, despite lacking involvement in groups deemed a threat to public order. The inquiry, launched in 2015 and costing 114m, will examine deployments, potential racist motivations, and abuses including deceptive relationships with women.

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