Tuesday 27 April 2010

Blair Peach - justice never done



Blair Peach was a young, peaceful New Zealand teacher who was murdered by the Metropolitan Police during an anti-fascist demonstration in 1979. An élite paramilitary unit, the Special Patrol Group piled out of their van, killed him with an illegal weapon, then lied about their presence. Despite a long investigation, including raids on their lockers and homes, none of the officers was prosecuted, despite 14 eye-witnesses and an internal police report - released today - which identifies the six officers, though the names are censored in today's release. They still aren't going to be charged with any of the offences committed while killing Peach and covering it up subsequently.

They haven't gone away: the SPG became the Territorial Support Group, a member of which killed Ian Tomlinson.

Peach's killer may be one of these five SPG officers, or another one I can't find a name for (with the illegal weapons found in their possession). Murray is now a lecturer in 'corporate social responsibility' at Sheffield University, ironically.

- PC "Chalkie" White: crowbar, small metal cosh (which he attempted to hide during the search), whip handle, whip, brass handle.
- PC Woodcock: US type truncheon, two knives.
- Inspector Hopkins: very large wooden truncheon.
- PC Greville Bint: Nazi regalia and memorabilia, a lead weighted cosh, bayonets    and swords.
- Inspector Alan Murray - resigned from the force in protest against the investigation.


This is an alternative list of names, printed at the time. I don't know which version is correct and the new report won't help. Freestone, Scottow, Richardson and Lake are names new to me, but White and Murray appear on both. I doubt Murray did it - he was a senior officer - but he was clearly an apologist for the tactics and attitudes of the SPG and bears the moral responsibility. 

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