Former spycop turned whistleblower Peter Francis has declared he won’t have anything more to do with the Undercover Policing Inquiry’s anonymity applications from his former colleagues. Francis, who infiltrated anti-racist groups in the 1990s and spied on the loved ones of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, says the public inquiry is protecting the guilty and concealing the
Yesterday, the public inquiry into undercover policing published the cover names of six more officers from Britain’s political secret police units. The newly released cover names are: “David Robertson”. Groups: Vietnam Solidarity Campaign, Banner Books, 1970 – 1973 “Alan ‘Nick’ Nicholson”. Groups: British National Party, 1990 – 1991 “Jaqueline Anderson”. Groups: Reclaim the Streets, Earth
After an investigation tracking his articles through the paper and talking to old comrades, Freedom can today reveal at least some of the story of former spycop Roger Pearce as he used our paper to worm his way into Northern Ireland. Earlier this week it was disclosed that Freedom Press would now be considered a
The Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance reports on the Scottish government decision yesterday that it will not probe the political undercover policing scandal. The announcement by Justice Secretary Michael Matheson came hours after he finally published a report into undercover policing in Scotland. The review had been conducted by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland. It had
This is a repost from Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance Once again, police self-investigations have been contacting activists who were spied on, asking for co-operation. The latest activity centres around Operation Sparkler/Operation Nitrogen, which is examining evidence that undercover police officer Bob Lambert planted incendiary devices in the Harrow branch of Debenham’s in 1987. Lambert was one of a group
The Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance rounds up the most recent attempts by a number of former spycops to avoid having their names linked to the Undercover Policing Inquiry. The Inquiry has announced five new applications by anonymity from former undercover police officers. The police want the real and cover names to be withheld in all
A man who was born as part of an undercover officer’s deployment is suing the police, the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance announced yesterday. The 32-year-old, known as TBS, was the planned child of ‘Bob Robinson,’ and an animal rights activist known as Jacqui. “Robinson” was in fact the alias of undercover police officer Bob Lambert
Over at least 25 years, a number of undercover police officers had entered into intimate relationships with members of targeted activist groups. Several women were deceived into having relationships with undercover cops. In some cases they proposed marriage or fathered children with protesters who were unaware their partner was a police officer. Various legal actions followed,
Anger was rising as the Undercover Policing Inquiry began its preliminary hearing today, with spycop victims left incredulous over introductory notes by chair John Mitting which they said were effectively him “choosing to fail”. Today’s hearing focused on the police use of convictions handed down against activist core participants, some now spent convictions, in an
The grindingly slow Undercover Policing Inquiry looks set to release four more spycops’ cover names following comments from chairman John Mitting — which comes as accusations grow that the Met is succeeding in neutering the inquiry. Mitting, who has himself been heavily criticised over his police links since taking over the inquiry from Pitchford earlier
The anarchist’s recent arrest continues a long story: ten years ago today, his prison hunger strike brought the country to the edge of insurrection on the anniversary of the 2008 uprising ~ Neil Middleton ~ The recent arrest of Nikos Romanos, following the widely publicised explosion in an Athens apartment, took place in the run-up
Political artists Andrei Molodkin and Santiago Sierra, and Wikileaks ambassador Joseph Farrell, talk to A/POLITICAL about the sham of Western liberty, Julian Assange, and how art can still transform pain into defiance ~ Becky Haghpanah-Shirwan ~ The heightened tensions of international politics are reflected in the work of Andrei Molodkin (Russia, 1966) and Santiago Sierra
Van Gogh soup protest and M25 blockade among cases in January hearing ~ Andy Meinke ~ In July, when five Just Stop Oil activists were jailed for a total of 21 years for a plan to block the M25 motorway in London, it was part of a huge jump in sentencing for peaceful protesters.
Walkout over pay and conditions expected on 19 December as company refuses to engage with union ~ Cristina Sykes ~ Hundreds of workers across Harrods’ retail, restaurant, kitchen and cleaning departments have returned a resounding 95% yes vote to strike action in the Christmas season.
It seems like in the year 2024, governments and the people supporting them have accomplished the impossible in terms of normalising death—but refusal persists ~ Juju Alerta ~ With a wild demonstration to enliven the St Pauli district of Hamburg, people from different countries gathered in the city in mid-November to exchange stories and discussions
Having gone mostly online in 2014, Freedom continues to publish an irregular paper today. Those and many other issues stretching back to our founding in 1886 are online above, at libcom.org, and via the Sparrow’s Nest.
The book publishing arm of Freedom Press has a history stretching back to the 19th century and continues to publish today. Check out our catalogue to order stock or you can order from Central Books.
Keep up with the news, features and interviews Freedom produces over the year with our irregular newsletters.
Email
editor {at} freedompress.org.uk
Phone
07952 157-742
Address
84b Whitechapel High St, London E1 7QX (12-6pm)
Map
Design & hosting
Squashed Fly
Copyright
Freedom uses the Attribution- NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. All other content providers reproduced retain copyright unless stated otherwise.
