Spycops were originally called ‘The Hairies’
The long running SpyCops Inquiry re-opened last week, with hearings looking at the 1980s.
The police Special Demonstration Squad (SDS)was formed after the 1968 protests against the Vietnam War.
Over an extended period it monitored (and worse) legitimate democratic activities of left-wing and protest groups often by covertly infiltrating them.
It was disbanded in 2008 and in 2015 then Home Secretary Theresa May announced an investigation. 5 years later the inquiry began
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Demonstration_Squad
The Counsel for the Inquiry made the point that after 1968 the SDS should have disbanded. It wasn’t.
One early witness in 2020, retired officer Ernest Tate, was asked how the SDS got its name. He appeared unaware of the official name but said it was known in the police as the ‘Hairies’ as undercover officers grew their hair and beards to apparently fit in better with the appearance of protesters.
Certainly appearing clean shaven and wearing a suit and tie at a protest meeting might have aroused interest but conversely it also reflects the pogonophobic nature of the police 50 years ago.
Indeed a SpyCop questioned at the Inquiry on 13th November 2020 as to why he had quit The Hairies responded:
HN326: I was fed up of the long hair and long beard. It was a strain. Until you’ve done the job you don’t know.*
He might however have had his reasons. Undercover as a protester at the anti-Vietnam War protest in Grosvenor Square in 1968 he was truncheoned by the Met Police because he had long hair and a beard:
Asked why the police had gone for him, he said: “It’s just the fact you’ve got long hair and a beard that they wallop you, you know. It’s 50 years ago, this is what they were doing. It’s a different attitude to things. Goodness”
Another SpyCop he has noted that he grew a beard, on this occasion to infiltrate the Hammersmith and Fulham branch of the International Socialists between 1971 and 1973
SpyCop HN343 ‘John Clinton’ statement read 19th November
55. I would describe my appearance before I joined the SDS as neat and tidy. During my time in the back office before I was deployed I grew my hair and a bushy beard. Instead of wearing a suit, when I was deployed I donned ‘comradely attire’— flares, an army surplus jacket, and an old pair of boots.
The one Spycop who I was certainly acquainted with as he infiltrated the SWP, Right to Work Campaign, Anti-Nazi League, ‘Colin Clark’ wore a full organic beard. The inquiry revealed that in fact he was usually clean shaven.
Leave a Reply