by Bethany Rielly
SEVERAL spycops attended the funeral of a protester killed by police in the 1970s and used the event to gather intelligence on mourners, a public inquiry heard today.
Blair Peach, a teacher and anti-racism campaigner, died after being struck on the head by a police baton during a demonstration against the National Front in west London in 1979.
Following his death, his partner Celia Stubbs launched a justice campaign, which was infiltrated by officers serving in the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), a secret police unit accused of serial abuses over decades.
Speaking on behalf of Ms Stubbs, Matthew Ryder QC told the Undercover Policing Inquiry that the killing of Blair Peach and the subsequent “cover-up” was one of the “most notorious events in the history of British policing.”
by Bethany Rielly
THE Home Office insisted today that its decision to dump asylum-seekers in squalid and overcrowded army barracks during the pandemic was “reasonable” despite acknowledging higher risks of infection.
Six asylum-seekers have brought a legal challenge against the department, arguing that its decision to house them in Napier Barracks in Kent was unlawful.
The claimants say that they were put at “exceptionally high risk” of catching Covid-19 at the site, where crowded and communal sleeping and eating arrangements resulted in a huge outbreak earlier this year.
Lisa Giovannetti QC, representing the Home Office, told the High Court today that the department “has always accepted and acknowledged that the transmission risk is higher in congregate settings of this sort.”
by Bethany Rielly
ASYLUM-SEEKERS held in Napier Barracks were left with “no mental health support” despite a number of “shocking suicide attempts,” the High Court heard today.
Six men who were held at the ex-military camp in Folkestone, Kent, are challenging the Home Office’s use of the accommodation, claiming conditions breached their human rights.
Tom Hickman QC, representing four of the claimants, told the court that an independent report had found seven suicide attempts and seven incidents of serious self-harm.
The lawyer said residents moved into the camp were exposed to conditions which had “serious detrimental impacts on their mental health.”
Cops want stop to social media scrutiny morningstaronline.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from morningstaronline.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
by Bethany Rielly
TURNING train operating websites grey to mark the death of Prince Philip is “another example of disabled people being forgotten,” charities said today.
National Rail Enquiries, Network Rail and other train operators sparked criticism today after they removed colour from their websites as a mark of respect for the deceased royal.
The sites were later restored to full colour following complaints.
Rail staff, passengers and charities complained the switch made the site unusable and impossible to read for those with visual impairments, raising concerns about breaches of disability discrimination laws.
Today rail union RMT issued a reminder to the industry of its legal requirement to ensure websites are accessible to all passengers, including those with disabilities.