London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 25, 2025

Undercover policing: Officer defends spying on anti-apartheid movement

Undercover policing: Officer defends spying on anti-apartheid movement

An undercover officer who spied on the anti-apartheid movement has told an inquiry his work was justified because it could have caused more disorder than the far right.

The retired officer said its actions, in the 1970s, included demonstrations against cricket and rugby tours.

The movement caused "problems and dangers" and was a "nuisance", he said.

The elderly officer is the first to give evidence at the Undercover Policing Inquiry.

The inquiry is looking into the targeting of the peer and former Labour cabinet minister Lord Peter Hain.

The officer has admitted lying to a court about his identity and, separately, assaulting an activist after he was nearly unmasked.

He is among former members of the special demonstration squad, a now-disbanded Metropolitan Police unit that was tasked to infiltrate a wide range of political organisations over some 40 years.

Who was HN298?


Known officially as "HN298", the officer adopted the name and birthday of "Michael Peter Scott" - a real person whose details he had found in public records.

From 1971 he infiltrated the anti-apartheid movement and, in particular, the Young Liberals.

The campaign, jointly led by the then student Peter Hain and others, organised highly-disruptive but peaceful stunts against sporting tours involving whites-only South African teams.

Those protests are now regarded as being a key moment in the growth of the global anti-apartheid movements.

Last week, Lord Hain told the inquiry that undercover officers who had monitored him had been on the "wrong side of history".

Peter Hain and others invaded sports pitches in non-violent protests against apartheid
Who did he target and why?


Over a year or more, Scotland Yard learned information about Lord Hain's family home, the names of his then teenage sisters, the car he drove and the names of other people around him.

Lord Hain was Northern Ireland secretary between 2005 and 2007, and twice served as the secretary of state for Wales.

None of the intelligence reports included any actual evidence of criminal plotting.

One did, however, warn that liberals might protest against traffic in Putney, south-west London.

On Tuesday HN-298 launched a defence of the information that was gathered on Lord Hain and others, saying Scotland Yard bosses needed it to work out who was genuinely "of interest".

The activities of his unit had been "well-directed" and it had been "money well-spent".

"Their anti-apartheid activities included demonstrations against cricket tours and rugby tours," he said.

"They were things of public disorder, and they were of interest."

Lord Hain was Northern Ireland secretary between 2005 and 2007

David Barr QC, counsel to the inquiry, asked why the officer had not considered infiltrating the far right instead.

"Well, as far as I know, there weren't any problems with the far right," he replied.

"I guess you mean the National Front. I wasn't aware of too many demonstrations organised by them."

Were his targets attempting to overthrow democracy? asked Mr Barr.

"They may well have been but I don't think so," replied the officer.

"It was not all about overthrowing democracy but nuisance - they caused problems and dangers to the public.

"This is the role of the police, to look after us."

Why did he lie in court?


In May 1972, HN298 joined anti-apartheid demonstrators in an attempt to prevent the England rugby team flying to South Africa, by blocking their team bus.

He was charged with obstruction, and documents show his superiors decided he should lie in court by giving his fake name.

This was technically a serious crime, but it was justified on the basis that it was essential to prevent blowing the operation against the Young Liberals.

HN298 was subsequently convicted under his false name in court, and fined.

He did not know if the real Michael Scott, who would receive the criminal record, was still alive.

The fine was put on Scotland Yard expenses.

He insisted that some groups he followed later in the 1970s were dangerous, including Irish nationalism campaigners that he linked to the IRA.

When one campaigner against British troops in Northern Ireland suspected that HN298 was in the police, the undercover officer punched him so hard on the nose that he broke his own finger.

David Barr QC asked: "What made you think it was acceptable to commit a crime of violence against a member of the public?"

"It was acceptable to me at the time," said the officer. "I felt it was something I had to do."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
×