• Disrupting Power Since 2015
  • Donate
  • Login
Friday, May 16, 2025
  • Login
  • Register
Canary
MEDIA THAT DISRUPTS
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
MANAGE SUBSCRIPTION
SUPPORT
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
Canary
No Result
View All Result

BREAKING: Extraordinary scenes at the High Court as participants and lawyers walk out of spying inquiry

Emily Apple by Emily Apple
21 March 2018
in Trending, UK
Reading Time: 2 mins read
170 2
A A
0
Home Trending
320
SHARES
2.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A mass walkout happened at the High Court on 21 March. Those involved in the Undercover Policing Inquiry and their lawyers left the court after an hour to show no confidence in its chairperson, John Mitting. Although I wasn’t able to attend the hearing today, I am a core participant in it and was one of those who instructed my lawyer to leave the hearing.

The hearing

The hearing was the latest in a series of anonymity applications for former Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) officers. These are the officers who spied on protest groups between 1968 and 2006.

A series of tweets from the Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance (COPS), quoting Phillippa Kaufmann – the barrister for those spied on, shows why those of us involved in the inquiry no longer have any faith in it or its chairperson:

Phillippa Kaufmann QC speaks to Mitting for #spycops victims: we have expressed increasing concerns about your conduct. It has come to a head. We have problems with disclosure and yourself.

— COPS (@copscampaign) March 21, 2018

Kaufmann: we want inquiry to be as open as possible. Without it you can't take decisions on an informed basis. We need to test #spycops assertions but are prevented.

— COPS (@copscampaign) March 21, 2018

Kaufmann: You have never once explained why you dismiss our representations about #spycops anonymity.

— COPS (@copscampaign) March 21, 2018

Those involved in the inquiry have also lost faith in Mitting due to comments he made about married officers in a previous hearing:

Kaufmann: You said officer HN58 didn't abuse his power because he had been married for a long time. We challenged it, you said you were "perhaps old fashioned". Despite this, you maintained your view & granted anonymity.

— COPS (@copscampaign) March 21, 2018

"We have the usual white, upper middle class eldery gentleman, who's life experience has nothing in common with people spied upon" Kuafmann to Mitting to cheers and clapping from the gallery #spycops

— Tom Fowler (@tombfowler) March 21, 2018

Kaufmann then issued the demands of those of us involved in the inquiry:

Kaufmann: the victims don't want an inquiry presided over by someone naive & old fashioned. They have no confidence on you. They ask that you step down, or bring about a true panel of others that understand the subject & experience of the issues.

— COPS (@copscampaign) March 21, 2018

The walkout

Kaufmann explained her instructions and was met with applause from the public gallery:

Kaufmann: I am instructed together with my team to leave the hearing.

— COPS (@copscampaign) March 21, 2018

Kaufmann draws huge applause. With that, Kaufmann and her team and the entire public gallery have walked out of the hearing. Mitting is beetroot faced.

— COPS (@copscampaign) March 21, 2018

Journalists attending the hearing were shocked:

Blimey – #spycops victims and legal team walked out of the inquiry after a devastating no confidence attack on the “naive and old fashioned” chair, judge John Mitting https://t.co/VtjtuOAhLV

— Kevin Maguire (@Kevin_Maguire) March 21, 2018

Those who left the hearing also blockaded the front of the court:

#spycops campaigners have walked out and have blocked the entrance to the Royal Courts of Justice pic.twitter.com/zpT3HPwh89

— Netpol (@netpol) March 21, 2018

Drastic but necessary

The decision to walk out of the hearing was not taken lightly. But those of us involved feel like we no longer have a choice. Mitting is blocking access to justice for those of us who were spied upon at every step of the way. He is allowing evidence that we are not allowed to see or challenge that has been generated by people who lied for a living.

We are the people who have been spied on. We are the people who have had our trust abused; who have been tricked into relationships and had our lives intruded into by the police. The inquiry was supposed to give us answers as to why this was allowed to happen. But under Mitting this isn’t happening, and it isn’t likely to happen.

The only way confidence can be restored in the inquiry is for Mitting to step down.

Get Involved!

– Support the COPS campaign.

– Support Police Spies Out of Our Lives.

– Support the Network for Police Monitoring.

Featured image via Netpol

Share128Tweet80
Previous Post

Nobel winner has the worst possible explanation for the murder of journalists

Next Post

Patrick Stewart has shamed the government live on the BBC

Next Post
Patrick Stewart government

Patrick Stewart has shamed the government live on the BBC

Suspended Labour Councillors

The truth about those two Labour councillors who defected to the Tories

Nigel Farage tossing dead fish into the Thames

Nigel Farage draws first blood in his war on fish

PMQs

PMQs turns into a Carry On film as a Tory MP offers to 'give one' to Theresa May

Northern white rhino Sudan dating app we did this

The end of a dating app's most famous profile is causing worldwide outrage

Trump has just sparked another major national security row
Analysis

Trump just sparked another major national security row – not that he cares

by Steve Topple
15 May 2025
The far-right's latest attack on Jeremy Corbyn is its most preposterous yet - with Lee Anderson leading the charge
Analysis

The far-right’s latest attack on Jeremy Corbyn is its most preposterous yet

by James Wright
15 May 2025
Starmer Rwanda deportation plan
Analysis

Just when you thought Starmer couldn’t stoop any lower – he does this

by Ed Sykes
15 May 2025
Jewish anti-Zionists IJAN respond to police ban on protest against Israeli ambassador
Analysis

Jewish anti-Zionists IJAN respond to police ban on protest against Israeli ambassador

by Ed Sykes
15 May 2025
Social Media Activism: How Grassroots Movements Are Gaining Power Online
Lifestyle

Social Media Activism: How Grassroots Movements Are Gaining Power Online

by Nathan Spears
15 May 2025
  • Contact
  • About & FAQ
  • Get our Daily News Email
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

The Canary
PO Box 71199
LONDON
SE20 9EX

Canary Media Ltd – registered in England. Company registration number 09788095.

For guest posting, contact [email protected]

For other enquiries, contact: [email protected]

The Canary is owned and run by independent journalists and volunteers, NOT offshore billionaires.

You can write for us, or support us by making a regular or one-off donation.

© Canary Media Ltd 2024, all rights reserved | Website by Monster | Hosted by Krystal | Privacy Settings

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • UK
    • Global
    • Analysis
    • Trending
  • Editorial
  • Features
    • Features
    • Environment
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Money
    • Science
    • Business
    • Tech
    • Travel
    • Sport & Gaming
  • Media
    • Video
    • Cartoons
  • Opinion

© 2023 Canary - Worker's co-op.

Before you go, have you seen...?

Trump has just sparked another major national security row
Analysis
Steve Topple

Trump just sparked another major national security row – not that he cares

The far-right's latest attack on Jeremy Corbyn is its most preposterous yet - with Lee Anderson leading the charge
Analysis
James Wright

The far-right’s latest attack on Jeremy Corbyn is its most preposterous yet

Starmer Rwanda deportation plan
Analysis
Ed Sykes

Just when you thought Starmer couldn’t stoop any lower – he does this

Jewish anti-Zionists IJAN respond to police ban on protest against Israeli ambassador
Analysis
Ed Sykes

Jewish anti-Zionists IJAN respond to police ban on protest against Israeli ambassador

ADVERTISEMENT
Lifestyle
Nathan Spears

Social Media Activism: How Grassroots Movements Are Gaining Power Online

Travel
Nathan Spears

Best Destinations In Spain For A Couples Holiday

Travel
Nathan Spears

Surviving Long Layovers: A Frequent Traveller’s Guide