Preventing Political Violence in Britain: An Evaluation of over Forty Years of Undercover Policing of Political Groups Involved in Protest

Stefano Bonino, Lambros Kaoullas

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    7 Citations (Scopus)
    1835 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    This article offers a first academic evaluation of the Special Demonstration Squad and the National Public Order Intelligence Unit, two British undercover police units working for the Metropolitan Police Service at different times between 1968 and 2011. It provides a historical overview of their infiltration of political groups involved in protest for the purpose of gathering criminal and political intelligence aimed at preventing violence, public disorder, and subversion. It discusses the controversies surrounding these units, and the related institutional responses, and offers an attempt at understanding their operations within the remit of intelligence-led policing and against a political culture that prioritizes action over inaction in reducing risks and threats to the State and society.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)814-840
    JournalStudies in Conflict and Terrorism
    Volume38
    Issue number10
    Early online date1 Jul 2015
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2015

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