In 1968 a top secret unit was set up within Special Branch called the Special Demonstrations Squad to spy on “subversives” – those considered a threat to the state and parliamentary democracy. Police officers transformed themselves into activists and lived amongst their targets for several years. They changed their appearance and used fake identities to penetrate political and protest groups to the highest levels in order to gain intelligence and to enable the police to maintain public order.

From about 1984 onwards one of the main targets for the SDS was the animal rights movement and groups in London were infiltrated for at least 20 years. Spies worked and socialised alongside genuine activists, had relationships with them and even fathered their children, were arrested, gave evidence in court under their false identities, and committed serious crimes.

This workshop will be chaired by Paul Gravett, who knew many of the spies, and will ask how they managed to get away with it for so long, whether what happened could have been prevented and the lessons that can be learned.