Police Infiltrate Socialist Party.

Press statement from the Socialist Party

The news revealed on the Guardian website and theBBC website today that ‘Carlo Neri’, as we knew him, infiltrated the Socialist Party from 2001 to 2006 on behalf of the Metropolitan Police’s Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) is unfortunately not surprising.

It is very far from being the first such revelation. In 2013 Peter Francis revealed that he had also infiltrated Militant Labour (now the Socialist Party) on behalf of the SDS. Francis also admitted infiltrating Youth Against Racism in Europe (YRE), a democratic campaigning organisation of young people, in which we participated.

Further evidence of repeated attempts to spy on socialists was revealed in the 2002 BBC documentary ‘True Spies’ which showed that the West Midlands policewere involved in spying on Socialist Party member Dave Nellist, at the time a Labour MP.

Lois Austin, Socialist Party member, previous chair of YRE and core participant in the Pitchford Inquiry stated:

“This is the latest in a litany of scandals showing that the police have used their resources to infiltrate democratic left-wing organisations. One of the key campaigns of YRE was for justice for Stephen Lawrence. It took 18 years for the police to convict any of his murderers, but we now find they were spending resources spying on anti-racist campaigners, including disgustingly trying to find ‘dirt’ on the bereaved Lawrence family.

“In the process they have caused untold distress to families whose dead children’s names were used by undercover officers, and to women who formed relationships with men who, unknown to them, were actually undercover police officers.

“There was no purpose to infiltrating YRE or Militant Labour. Far from being secretive we publicly advertised our events – the police could have read our leaflets and newspapers, or attended our public meetings, to find out what was going on.”

Dave Nellist added:

“As the revelations of police spying have mounted, the government has been forced to respond by setting up the Pitchford Inquiry to investigate police spying. This is welcome, but not enough.

“Lord Pitchford’s inquiry will need to get behind the attempts that will be made to disguise the reality of what has taken place. Undercover officers spying on a democratically-elected MP because he holds left-wing views cannot be justified. We demand the ‘undercover’ names of every police spy – that is the only way we can find out the full extent of what took place.

“We also demand that the Inquiry’s remit is extended to cover Scotland.

“But alongside Pitchford the labour and trade union movement should organise its own independent inquiry, made up of representatives from the trade union movement and the anti-racist and environmental protest groups that have suffered infiltration. Such an enquiry could go beyond investigating the role of the police, and also look at where the orders came from and the role of the government itself.

“We do not accept that infiltration, as the Metropolitan Police have implied, is a thing of the past. Surveillance of peaceful protesters has increased dramatically in the recent period. We demand to know what today’s ‘Carlo Neris’ are doing.

“Today a new generation are becoming involved in campaigns against austerity, racism and war. No amount of police infiltration will cut across this. But questions about whose interests the police act in, alongside demands for them to be made democratically accountable, will be an important aspect of current and future campaigns.”

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Socialist Party

The Socialist Party is a campaigning, democratic organisation. Our members played a leading role on Liverpool Labour council in the 1980s when it defied Thatcher and refused to implement cuts, winning £60 million to spend on jobs and services in the city.

Socialist Party members were among the leaders of the struggle in the late 1980s and early 90s when 18 million people nationwide refused to pay the hated Poll Tax.

We fight against all attacks on the rights and living standards of working class people and stand for a socialist alternative.

• For reports, and video clips about the Socialist Party: www.socialistparty.org.uk

For interviews with Dave, Lois, leading activists and any other information requests, please contact:

• Sarah Sachs-Eldridge | National Organiser | Socialist Party PO Box 24697, London E11 1YD | T: 020 8988 8771 | M: 079 580 320 71 | E: sarahse@socialistparty.org.uk
  Twitter: @socialist_party

http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/22049/18-01-2016/police-infiltration-of-the-socialist-party

Freedom Of Information Request. Re Lambeth Police Sex Dungeon.

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2013070000455

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

In November 1997 a sex dungeon complete with manacles , chains ,
bedding and a sleazy red light in Lambeth High-Security Police Head
Quarters in South London.Also found was a great quantity of child
pornography. The civilian staff who leaked the story were suspended
and Officers from Scotland Yard’s Criminal Investigation Bureau
were called in.

How many police officers were convicted and what was their rank?

Where are the files stored?

Yours faithfully,

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2013070000455

I write in response to your request for information that was received by
the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 03 July 2013. I apologise for the
delay in responding to you. I note that you seek access to the following
information:

"In November 1997 a sex dungeon complete with manacles , chains , bedding
and a sleazy red light in Lambeth High-Security Police Head Quarters in
South London. Also found was a great quantity of child pornography. The
civilian staff who leaked the story were suspended and Officers from
Scotland Yard’s Criminal Investigation Bureau were called in.

How many police officers were convicted and what was their rank?

Where are the files stored?"

Following receipt of your request searches were conducted at the
Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS), Record Management Branch (the
department responsible for the retention of recorded files within the MPS)
and the Directorate of Media and Communication (DMC). The searches at the
DMC located a number of press lines that are relevant to your request. I
have disclosed this information to you. Please note that the MPS cannot
confirm whether these press lines accurately reflect the conclusion of the
investigation or comment upon the items that were allegedly found within
the police premises you refer to.

MPS Press Lines

Logged on 11 Nov 1997:

"IF ASKED: Approx two weeks ago, a CIB investigation began after certain
items were found in a small space at an MPS building in Lambeth.

The building is mainly used by civil support staff.

There is no suggestion that police officers are involved in this matter,
or that anyone was taken there under duress.

There is no evidence that any sexual activity actually took place at the
premises.

IF ASKED: Can confirm there are no police officers involved."

Logged on 14th Nov 1997:

"IF ASKED: There have been no suspensions icw this enquiry.

IF ASKED: There are no police officers based at Lambeth. The building is
entirely a base for civil staff departments."

Please note that the abbreviation 'icw' means 'in connection with'.

The searches at the DPS and Records Management Branch failed to locate
information relevant to your request. Please note that, owing to the time
that has elapsed since the investigation into this incident, any files
relevant to this case would have been destroyed in accordance with the MPS
disposal schedule. Disciplinary investigation files are destroyed 6 years
after the conclusion of the investigation.

No mention of the child porn.
I just love our police force