Blair Peach's case is a stain on British justice

The Cass report into Blair Peach's death has finally been released, 30 years after his murder by the SPG.  It says "was most likely killed by elite riot squad officer".


The British people are like the frog who is in water that is slowly heated up, and makes not attempt to escape until it is dead. We are informed by the newspapers on a daily basis that we live in a wonderful democracy, ruled by the Mother of Parliaments, and how lucky we are to have free speech. As indeed we are, relative to some other regimes. But unlucky in comparison to some other, more free and equitable states.

Murder is murder, no matter what the murderer is wearing at the time of the killing. No-one should be beyond the reach of the law, especially the police, who have a difficult job to do, but who are given special powers to do it. Impunity means that unreasonable violence by the police at demonstrations can and does continue to happen. "Accidental" events, (Blair Peach's verdict was "death by misadventure") can give way to extra-judicial killings.

There is good evidence to identify the unit (U.11) that included the officer that carried out the killing, and "indications" that point to the killer himself. Searches on the SPG turned up illegal weapons and Nazi regalia.

The "punishment" carried out on the SPG was to rename it the TSG - the unit that contributed to the death of Ian Tomlinson at the G20 police riot.

This blog is not anti-police. I am mindful of the savage killing of PC Keith Blakelock, another killing where the killer has not been brought to justice. I am not anti-police, but most definitely against the suppression of justice. Blair Peach and his family have not had justice.

Britain is damaged by this situation. Only when justice is carried through can we all feel that we live in something approaching a democracy.