IMGpapers 1980–83

Newspapers of the International Marxist Group and its forerunners, 1980–83

WHATEVER THE VERDICT, THE SPG IS

Socialist Challenge No. 149, 29 May 1980 · p. 16 of the scan · 619 words

The scan: sc-n149-may-29-1980.pdf (PDF, Marxists Internet Archive, opens at this page)

Uncorrected machine reading. This text was read by machine (Apple Vision OCR) from a scan of a newspaper page, and the page was cut into articles by machine, at the headlines found by their type size. Nothing has been corrected: expect misread words, text from a neighbouring article, and titles that are the machine reading of the headline, some of them only fragments. Quote from the scan, not from this page.
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page 16 of the scan

The verdict was predictable.

police involvement in the death.

their own way, shown their guilt.

At the weekend Inspector Alan Murray, who was in charge of the SPG unit suspected of inflicting the fatal blow that killed Blair, announced his decision to quit the police. I've been worried about the behaviour of the senior officers investigating the incident', said Murray.

This resignation comes on top of the transfers and suspensions of other members of the SPG who appeared as witnesses during the inquest.

*PC Raymond White has been, suspended since last June, just a couple of weeks after Blair's death. He was the driver of one of the two SPG vans whose occupants led the attack on Anti-Nazi League demonstrators.

court White evidence of other SPG members who said they were in his van when Blair was killed.

*PC Anthony Richardson has been transferred out Richardson admitted at the inquest that chased demonstrators into a cul-de-sac at the entrance of which Blair was struck *PC Michael Freestone has also been transferred from the SPG. Freestone appeared in court he was one of a number of police witnesses who claimed loss of memory. He said he didn't remember who was in the police with him, describe the demonstrator he had chased when couldn't remember who was in the van when he returned to it.

*PC James Scottow has now left the SPG. At Blair Peach's inquest he fascist National Front, died by 'misadventure'.

police's own investigation into Blair's killing, and it was directed by a coroner who stated repeatedly his opposition to any verdict hinting at And yet, even before the verdict was announced, the Special Patrol Group involved in the incident which led to Blair being killed had, in verdicts 'unlawful heard allegation.

contradicted the Friday.

of the SPG. •HOW SPG Raymond Michael number of kicharason ana Killing Blair.

When the The couldn't . the van and had and spoken to Peach. The jury was denied access to the force and 'whether Mr Peach was one of the rioters.

Burton also told the jury that they could return any one of three possible death by misadventure, unlawful killing or an open verdict.

He has made it clear that even if killing' is returned this would not necessarily mean that the SPG were the killers.

He has raised the possibility that Blair was killed by a demonstrator, altnougn again no evidence las been in court to substantiate this On the other hand a number of witnesses have testified that they saw Blair being attacked by the police.

*Socialist Challenge was visited by two officers from Scotland Yard last They wanted to know what evidence we had for stating that six officers Alan Murray, White, James Scottow; Freestone, Anthony Anthony Lake were suspected by the police's own investigation department, CIB 2, of Members of Socialist Challenge staff told the cops that, as the issue of our paper dated 20 March had stated, information published based on a story in the Sunday Times.

When we asked the cops whether they had visited the Sunday they said no. This suggests that the visit paid to us was a deliberate act of . Was Times, Britain: 12 months £12.50; Abroad: 12 months - Surface Mail Multi-reader institutions: Double the above rate Name Address I enclose a donation for the Fighting Fund of Cheques, POs and Money Orders Photo: JOHN STURROCK (Report SUBSCRIBE NOW 6months 26.50 £12.50 Airmail £18.00 should be made payable to "Socialist Challenge •Complete and return to: Socialist Challenge, 328 Upper Street, London NJ

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THE coroner's jury at the Blair Peach inquest has decided that the anti-Nazi, who was killed a year ago when demonstrating against the

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