A motion will be debated tomorrow (25th June) in a meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority, calling for the police to "publish immediately the full report by former Commander Cass into the death of Blair Peach."
Blair Peach was knocked unconscious in an April 1979 demonstration in Southall by the Anti-Nazi League against a National Front election meeting. Eleven witnesses claimed to have seen members of the Metropolitan Police Special Patrol Group (SPG) hitting Mr Peach in a side-street at the height of the violence. He died the next day in hospital.
An internal investigation was held into the death by a team of 30 detectives led by Commander John Cass of Scotland Yard’s Complaints Investigation Bureau.
Green Party home affairs spokesperson, and London Assembly Member, Jenny Jones, has stated that publication of the Cass report would "enable his family to get closure on their personal tragedy and bring them a step closer in their struggle for justice". (2)
"There are," Jones continued, "worries that the police have not learned some of the lessons of the past and adequately improved their public order policing. My hope is that the publication of this long overdue report will help inform the debate about the inappropriate policing of demonstrations in London. Inappropriate policing is both a threat to community safety and represents an inefficient use of police resources."
Jones concluded by saying that: "The report’s publication will encourage debate into police powers, which will give a sense of openness and transparency and will ultimately strengthen the Metropolitan Police in its service to the community."
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Notes to Editors:
1) Jenny Jones is available for interview.
2) Deborah Coles and Helen Shaw, co-Directors of Inquest, sent a letter, dated 12 June 2009, to Sir Paul Stephenson, chair of the Metropolitan Police. In it, they argued for disclosure of the Cass report. Coles and Shaw point out that "one of the grounds for the Metropolitan Police’s refusal to disclose the report was that it would cause distress to his family … despite the fact that they were never contacted by you and have made numerous requests over the years for such disclosure to take place." They continued to say that: "Non-disclosure of evidence has been one of the most problematic and controversial issues following deaths in custody and has seriously undermined family and public confidence in the police complaints system."
INQUEST is a non-governmental organisation in England and Wales that works directly with the families of those who die in custody. It provides an independent free legal and advice service to bereaved people on inquest procedures and their rights in the coroner’s courts.