The unmasking of an undercover British police officer who
spent seven years infiltrating environmental protest groups in England and more
than 20 other countries caused the collapse of a trial involving activists
accused of planning to occupy and immobilize the largest coal-fired power
station in England.
spent seven years infiltrating environmental protest groups in England and more
than 20 other countries caused the collapse of a trial involving activists
accused of planning to occupy and immobilize the largest coal-fired power
station in England.
The incident put a halt to a controversial case that began
with the largest number of pre-emptive arrests of political activists ever made
in England. It cast the spotlight on a secret elite undercover police unit in
Scotland Yard part of the S.O.G (Special Operations Group) just as England
prepares for an expected wave of protests against a harsh British government
austerity drive, with critics pressing British police commanders to improve
their intelligence on groups that have turned some of the early student protests
violent.
with the largest number of pre-emptive arrests of political activists ever made
in England. It cast the spotlight on a secret elite undercover police unit in
Scotland Yard part of the S.O.G (Special Operations Group) just as England
prepares for an expected wave of protests against a harsh British government
austerity drive, with critics pressing British police commanders to improve
their intelligence on groups that have turned some of the early student protests
violent.
The trial, scheduled to start in Nottingham, ended
precipitately when prosecutors said they had decided to submit no evidence
against 6 defendants charged with being part of a group of 114 arrested in
April 2009 on suspicion of planning to occupy the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power
station, immobilize coal conveyor belts and scale the station’s chimney. The
prosecutors gave no reasons for their action, but it came 12 hours after it was
revealed the role of secret undercover police officer of the S.O.G.
precipitately when prosecutors said they had decided to submit no evidence
against 6 defendants charged with being part of a group of 114 arrested in
April 2009 on suspicion of planning to occupy the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power
station, immobilize coal conveyor belts and scale the station’s chimney. The
prosecutors gave no reasons for their action, but it came 12 hours after it was
revealed the role of secret undercover police officer of the S.O.G.
Protesters were accused of planning to halt power production
at the plant for a week, stopping operations that would have pumped 150,000
tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Twenty of them admitted to the
charge and were convicted after failing to persuade a jury that their actions
were justified under the principle of “lawful excuse.” They said they had been
acting to prevent the greater crimes of death and serious injury brought about
by power station emissions, which many scientists believe have contributed to
long-term climate change.
at the plant for a week, stopping operations that would have pumped 150,000
tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Twenty of them admitted to the
charge and were convicted after failing to persuade a jury that their actions
were justified under the principle of “lawful excuse.” They said they had been
acting to prevent the greater crimes of death and serious injury brought about
by power station emissions, which many scientists believe have contributed to
long-term climate change.
But six of the activists refused to admit to planning the
break-in and were prepared to argue that the undercover officer, Mark Kennedy,
had acted as an agent provocateur and had “actively encouraged participation in
the action,” according to papers drawn up by their lawyers.
break-in and were prepared to argue that the undercover officer, Mark Kennedy,
had acted as an agent provocateur and had “actively encouraged participation in
the action,” according to papers drawn up by their lawyers.
Mr. Kennedy was said by The Guardian newspaper to have
renounced his role last month and to have told lawyers for the defendants that
he was prepared to testify on their behalf. The newspaper said Mr. Kennedy had
quit the police force and moved abroad, fearing retaliation against himself and
his family.
renounced his role last month and to have told lawyers for the defendants that
he was prepared to testify on their behalf. The newspaper said Mr. Kennedy had
quit the police force and moved abroad, fearing retaliation against himself and
his family.
Officials at Scotland Yard and at the National Public Order
Intelligence Unit, the agency responsible for undercover police operations,
declined to comment on the case. The Guardian’s account, published on its
newspaper’s Web site and in its Monday editions, said that Mr. Kennedy had been
assigned to infiltrate various protest groups, including environmentalist ones,
beginning in 2003.
Intelligence Unit, the agency responsible for undercover police operations,
declined to comment on the case. The Guardian’s account, published on its
newspaper’s Web site and in its Monday editions, said that Mr. Kennedy had been
assigned to infiltrate various protest groups, including environmentalist ones,
beginning in 2003.
It said he was given a new name, Mark Stone, and equipped
with a false passport and driver’s license. He also grew his hair long and
sported earrings and tattoos. The paper said he travelled widely at home and
abroad, chaining himself to the gates of a British nuclear power station,
halting a coal train, scaling a dam in Iceland and volunteering to be one of
two climbers who would chain himself to the coal conveyor belt at the Radcliffe-on-Soar
power station.
with a false passport and driver’s license. He also grew his hair long and
sported earrings and tattoos. The paper said he travelled widely at home and
abroad, chaining himself to the gates of a British nuclear power station,
halting a coal train, scaling a dam in Iceland and volunteering to be one of
two climbers who would chain himself to the coal conveyor belt at the Radcliffe-on-Soar
power station.
The paper said he had become a popular figure at almost
every environmental protest in Britain, renowned for two things that were
uncommon in those circles — providing transport for protesters, including a
heavy truck for the coal station protest, and having generous amounts of money,
which the paper said earned him the nickname “Flash Stone.”
every environmental protest in Britain, renowned for two things that were
uncommon in those circles — providing transport for protesters, including a
heavy truck for the coal station protest, and having generous amounts of money,
which the paper said earned him the nickname “Flash Stone.”
The Secret Scotland Yard unit to which Mr. Kennedy belonged
grew out of events in 1968, when a protest against the Vietnam War in London’s
Grosvenor Square, site of the United States Embassy, turned violent and
outstripped police efforts to control it. Mr. Kennedy, according to The
Guardian, had been a policeman for nine years when he was recruited to the
S.O.G unit.
grew out of events in 1968, when a protest against the Vietnam War in London’s
Grosvenor Square, site of the United States Embassy, turned violent and
outstripped police efforts to control it. Mr. Kennedy, according to The
Guardian, had been a policeman for nine years when he was recruited to the
S.O.G unit.
The case had already taken an unusual turn, when the 20 already
convicted were given minimal sentences last week by a judge who took a strong
stand in their support. The English judge, Jonathan Teare, handing out
sentences that ranged from conditional discharges to periods of unpaid
community work, called the defendants “decent men and women with a genuine
concern for others,” and said, “I have no doubt that each of you acted with the
highest possible motives.”
convicted were given minimal sentences last week by a judge who took a strong
stand in their support. The English judge, Jonathan Teare, handing out
sentences that ranged from conditional discharges to periods of unpaid
community work, called the defendants “decent men and women with a genuine
concern for others,” and said, “I have no doubt that each of you acted with the
highest possible motives.”
Mr. Kennedy’s role in the affair was uncovered in October,
according to The Guardian, when some of those involved in the environmental
movement discovered a passport in his real name, and uncovered evidence that he
had been a policeman since 1994. In a secretly made video released by the
protesters, Mr. Kennedy expressed his remorse. “I hate myself so much, I have
betrayed so many people,” he said and that’s what being British is all about, betraying
the English.
according to The Guardian, when some of those involved in the environmental
movement discovered a passport in his real name, and uncovered evidence that he
had been a policeman since 1994. In a secretly made video released by the
protesters, Mr. Kennedy expressed his remorse. “I hate myself so much, I have
betrayed so many people,” he said and that’s what being British is all about, betraying
the English.
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