infamous the BBC's cheon'.
weekend Among black eye.' Socialist Challenge 16 April 1981 SPECIAL Patrol Group cops in plain clothes participated in police charges over the weekend using some of their 'unauthorised which included pick axe handles and This was reported by John Clare, community respondent. It puts an interesting light on the death of Blair Peach during the Southall operations by the SPG Blair was killed as the result of a massive head injury have been the result of a police trunSeveral press photographers were attacked by police in Brixton on the and cameras them was told Socialist Challenge:
I was photographing an arrest in Brixton Road at 3.30pm on Sunday. The police told me to clear off. I told them that / was press and doing my job. As / was holding up my camera / was hit in the face with a truncheon.
'My index finger on my right hand was fractured and / ended up with a weapons, affairs cor'which couldn't smashed Larry Herman.
rate'.
stallull. two was the local He the Lambeth.
policing La Act harass The role of the SPG, operating from a garage at the back or brixion ponce entailed constant SPG's blue carriers. Roac more or nocks were sCLu less at random. The 'stop and search' policy was carried out extensively searches indicated that the objective of the SPG presence simply to intimidale community. As a result of the SPG's activity local council, decided The presence of the SPG was just one aspect of policing in Brixton.
penou un laws - the 1824 vagranc - has been used to OCa. NOT MANY people in Brixton can have been has been in the frontline of saturation policing The Special Patrol Group first came into the area in 1978 for a month's stint, the excuse for their arrival being Brixton's 'high crime cording to this / the tent restable offence' In other the streets Sus snow laws in in End of London Balham South-West For showed 'Sus' charges, wiles. youth, The Brixton especially black youth. Ac law it is ai offence to be 'a suspecte person loitering with in words it's a offence to be black and o Home Office figure that between and 1979 there were mor people arrested under 'L' district (th Lambeth area) than other area except the We A recent survey made Juvenile Cour the main juvenile court to Londo that youn blacks appeared on SI against racism of th
youth. When the police jumped out one of them slowly and deliberately stubbed out his cigarette in the face of a young black. Abuse On Sunday at least 4,000 cops were Inte area. Tension built up all Whitelaw and David McNee visited the area. They were met with angry abuse from Lne community •Sieg Heil' they shouted as the secretary commissioner of the Met were whisked into the police station by a side entrance.
After the departure of the top cops fighting flared again. Unlike the plane They red o police had a plan. force people out of the Centre of Brixton heavy tactics and a corcoll.
But in the side streets they were adopting a soIlly, softly' approach, talking to black youth and urging them to go home. n the front line All photos: Q. M. COOKSON (Socallet Challer
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Unauthorised weapons and attacks on the press
surprised by the weekend's events, for at least 2½ years
March 1979 to set up an in- quiry to investigate local