Eveline: Created page with "This is a chronologically-ordered breakdown of all known activity by the National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU) police officer ‘Lynn Watson’ during her un..."

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Created page with "This is a chronologically-ordered breakdown of all known activity by the National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU) police officer ‘Lynn Watson’ during her un..."

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This is a chronologically-ordered breakdown of all known activity by the [[National Public Order Intelligence Unit]] (NPOIU) police officer ‘[[Lynn Watson]]’ during her undercover deployment 2002-2008, plus subsequent activity which came to light following her public exposure in 2011.

Also see:
::* [[Lynn Watson (alias)]]
::* [[Lynn Watson Gallery]]
::* [[Lynn Watson Bibliography]]

==='''2002'''===
*'''May 2002:''' Appears in Worthing, East Sussex, and makes contact with Protect Our Woodland campaign to preserve Titnore Woods, claiming to be a care home worker from Bournemouth.<ref name="GN3.011">Paul Lewis & Rob Evans, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/oct/20/met-crisis-activist-spying-operation ‘Met facing mounting crisis as activist spying operation unravels’], ''The Guardian'', 20/10/11 (accessed 10 May 2014).</ref> Possibly attends demonstration on 26 May.<ref name="AP3.001">unknown author, [http://www.eco-action.org/porkbolter/july02.html ‘350 march on Titnore!’], ''The Pork-Bolter'' number 46, July 2002 (accessed 15 May 2014).</ref> Not heard of again after passing contact details to an organiser.<ref name="ABK085p216">Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, p216.</ref>

==='''2003'''===
*'''Sometime in 2003:''' Appears at the Aldermaston Women's Peace Camp, a long-established anti-nuclear protest encampment outside the Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment military base in Berkshire.<ref name="GN3.004">Rajeev Syal & Martin Wainwright, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jan/19/undercover-police-officer-lynn-watson ‘Undercover police: Officer A named as Lynn Watson’], ''The Guardian'', 19/01/11 (accessed 10 May 2014).</ref><ref name="ABK085p216"></ref> She attends weekly camping events, joins the Block the Builders<ref>The 'Block The Builders campaign formally started on Hiroshima Day (7 August), 2003 - see [http://www.banthebomb.org/archives/events/AldermastonTour.shtml Aldermaston Women's Peace Camp: Speaking Tour 2003], BanTheBomb.org, undated (accessed 12 October 2015).</ref> non-violent direct action group<ref name="BG3.003">Aldermaston Women's Peace Camp(aign), [http://aldermaston.net/camp/415 ‘Domestic Extremists Or Domestic Goddesses?’], ''AWPC'' website, 8 February 2011 (accessed 22 May 2014).</ref> (and is said by one commentator to have been 'very active' in it<ref name="IM3.002">ABC Anarres, [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/01/472363.html ‘Three undercover political Police unmasked as infiltrators into UK Anarchist, Anti-Fascist and Climate Justice movements’], ''Indymedia UK'', 19/01/11 (accessed 10 May 2014).</ref>), takes part in blockades at both Aldermaston and Faslane nuclear submarine base in Scotland as part of a Trident Ploughshares affinity group,<ref name="BG3.003"></ref> and attends anti-war demonstrations.<ref name="ABK085p217">Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, p217.</ref><ref name="AWB009">Dr Sian Jones, [http://actionawe.org/of-sledgehammers-and-nuts-counter-terrorism-and-anti-nuclear-protest/ ‘Of sledgehammers and nuts: counter-terrorism and anti-nuclear protest’], ''ActionAWE.org'' (campaign website), 2014 (accessed 16 May 2014).This article also discusses general monitoring of the peace movement campaigns against Faslane and Aldermaston.</ref>

==='''2004'''===
*'''‘Since at least 2004’:''' Whilst ‘Lynn Watson’ continues to be a presence at the Aldermaston protests, anti-nuclear group Action AWE notes that [[Ministry of Defence Police]]'s [[Ian Caswell]] (identified by FITwatch and others as a surveillance officer seconded to the NPOIU<ref name="AWB010">admin, [https://web.archive.org/web/20101120050636/http://www.fitwatch.org.uk/2010/11/08/trident-ploughshares-pacifists-are-domestic-extremists/ ‘Trident Ploughshares pacifists are Domestic Extremists??!’], ''FITwatch'' blog, 8 November 2010 (accessed via archive.org 16 May 2014).</ref><ref name="BG3.003"></ref>) makes his first known excursions to Aldermaston and nearby Burghfield weapons facilities to observe protesters.<ref name="AWB009"></ref>
*'''Early 2004:''' After hinting to friends in the women's camp that she needed to get away from a bad relationship, and that her employment agency had offered her care home work up north, she moves to Leeds, first on the outskirts of the city<ref name="BG3.002">ActivistSecurity.org collective, [http://www.activistsecurity.org/lynn_watson.html ‘ActivistSecurity.org statement on Lynn Watson’], ''ActivistSecurity.org'' blog, 19 January 2011 (accessed 10 May 2014).</ref> and then later moving to Hyde Park<ref name="GN3.004"></ref><ref name="ABK085p217"></ref>
*'''18 March 2004:''' Attends convergence centre at church in Leeds in preparation for a large-scale anti-militarist ‘Block the Base’ action at the Menwith Hill US military base in Yorkshire early the next morning, organised by Yorkshire CND with support from CND, CAAB and Trident Ploughshares.<ref name="IM3.009">IMC Leeds Bradford, [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/03/287070.html ‘Mass blockade at Menwith Hill US base, Friday March 19th’], ''Indymedia UK'', 19 March 2004 (accessed 15 May 2014)."</ref> According to a commenter on ''Indymedia UK'' she joined an “‘odds and sods’ affinity group” but didn't make it onto the actual action after organisers apparently brought forward the action time by two hours, and she was not at the departure point.<ref name="IM3.008">I Saw You, [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/01/471994.html?c=on#c262808 ‘2004 Leeds’], ''Indymedia UK'', 15 January 2011 (accessed 16 May 2014).</ref>
*'''2 July 2004:''' Takes part in as day of CIRCA<ref name="AWB024">CIRCA, [http://www.clownarmy.org/ ‘Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army’], ''CIRCA'' website homepage, 2007 (accessed 22 May 2014).</ref> clown action in Leeds. This includes first the occupation of local Labour Party offices (and constituency base for Hilary Benn MP) at Derek Fatchett House in Blenheim Terrace, LS2, and later a demonstration outside an Armed Forces Careers Office in Bond Court, LS1.<ref name="VD3.001">journeymanpictures, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg5OlyT4bFk ‘Undercover Clown Cop: Lynn Watson – UK’], YouTube, 07/02/11 (accessed 10 May 2014).</ref><ref name="CN3.001">Channel 4 News, [http://www.channel4.com/news/undercover-police-officer-filmed-in-clown-costume ‘'Undercover police officer' filmed in clown costume’], ''Channel 4 News'' website, 25 January 2011 (accessed 10 May 2014).</ref><ref name="GN3.006">Paul Lewis, Guy Grandjean & Rob Evans, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jan/25/police-spy-lynn-watson-clown ‘Police spy Lynn Watson filmed in clown costume at anti-war protest’], ''The Guardian'', 25/01/11 (accessed 10 May 2014).</ref><ref name="ABK085p214">Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, p214-215.</ref><ref name="IM3.003">circa, [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/leedsbradford/2004/07/294327.html ‘CIRCA Anti-Official Communique #3’], ''Indymedia UK'', 3 July 2004 (accessed 15 May 2014).</ref><ref name="GN3.007">Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jan/25/met-undercover-policing-unit-g20 ‘Met counter-terrorism chief to take over protest spy unit’], ''The Guardian'', 25/01/11 (accessed 10 May 2014).</ref><ref name="IM3.014">CIRCA, [http://sheffield.indymedia.org.uk/2004/07/294332.html ‘More CIRCA pics & recruitment activities’], ''Sheffield Indymedia'', 3 July 2004 (accessed 20 September 2014).</ref><ref name="IM3.015">Sheffield IMC, [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/07/294524.html ‘Insurgent Clowns on Patrol in Yorkshire’], ''Indymedia UK'', 6 July 2004 (accessed 20 September 2014).</ref>
*'''4 July 2004:''' Part of CIRCA clown bloc at Campaign for Accountability of American Bases]]-called demonstration at Menwith Hill spy base, Yorkshire.<ref name="VD3.001"></ref><ref name="IM3.004">IMC Leeds Bradford, [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/leedsbradford/2004/07/294563.html ‘Independence day at Menwith Hill’], ''Indymedia UK'', 7 July 2004 (accessed 15 May 2014).</ref><ref name="BG3.005">xpyda, [http://www.toxicpop.co.uk/menwith04-07-04/index.htm ‘independence from america 04-07-04’], ''toxicpop.co.uk'', 4 July 2004 (accessed 20 September 2014).</ref>
*'''September 2004:''' Leeds Action for Radical Change (Leeds ARC or LARC for short) announces in its newsletter ''The Rabble Rouser'' that “We're in the process of raising funds and finding city centre premises for a social centre right in the heart of Leeds,” and invites people to get involved.<ref name="ASL153">unknown author, [https://web.archive.org/web/20050530055303/http://www.leedsarc.org.uk/rabble/4.pdf ‘A Radical new free space opening in Leeds centre this autumn’], ''The Rabble Rouser'' no. 4, September 2004 (accessed via archive.org, 16 May 2014).</ref> LARC subsequently secures a £10,000 grant, which is used to secure a former pork pie factory, later to play host to a number of political groups and campaigns - and notably those preparing to protest at the July 2005 Gleneagles G8 summit<ref name="GN3.002">Paul Lewis, Rob Evans & Martin Wainwright, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/12/second-undercover-police-officer-unmasked ‘Second police officer to infiltrate environmental activists unmasked’], ''The Guardian'', 12/01/11 (accessed 10 May 2014).</ref> - under the name ‘The Common Place’.<ref name="ABK085p217"></ref>
*'''2 November 2004:''' Becomes founding director of ‘Leeds Social Centre Ltd’, a limited liability private company set up to run The Common Place social centre in Leeds.<ref name="AMD121">Companies House, [https://www.duedil.com/director/910115238/lynn-watson/directorships ‘Ms Lynn Watson’ (company director profile)], ''DueDil.com'', 2014 (accessed 12 May 2014).</ref>

==='''2005'''===
*'''2-8 July 2005:''' Protests against 31st G8 summit meeting held at Gleneagles in Scotland, largely coordinated through international anti-authoritarian network Dissent!, in which ‘Watson’ is involved through the UK Action Medics collective.<ref name="GN3.004"></ref><ref name="IM3.002"></ref><ref name="AWB023">UK Action Medics, [http://actionmedics.org.uk/index.html ‘UK Action Medics’], ''UK Action Medics'' homepage, 2006 (accessed 22 May 2014).</ref>
*'''17-21 August 2005:''' Attends Earth First! Summer Gathering in Derbyshire.<ref name="IM3.002"></ref>

==='''2006'''===
*'''15-17 July 2006:''' 32nd G8 summit meeting takes place in St. Petersburg, Russia; ‘Watson’ (who does not attend - possibly because Russian authorities would not issue a visa in light of her false documents<ref name="ASL073">Matthias Monroy, [http://www.statewatch.org/subscriber/protected/sw21n2.pdf ‘Using false documents against “Euro-anarchists”: exchange of Anglo-German undercover police highlights controversial police operations’], ''Statewatch Journal'' Volume 21 Number 2, 2011 (accessed 23 April 2014).</ref>) is reputedly the contact person for UK Action Medics involvement through the Dissent! international network<ref name="IM3.002"></ref> (or else the contact person for UK Action Medics training which took place in Ukraine before the actual summit<ref name="IM3.012">murp, [http://sheffield.indymedia.org.uk/2011/01/472317.html?c=on#c263145 ‘Lynn G8 Russia correction’], ''Sheffield Indymedia'', 18 January 2011 (accessed 24 May 2014).</ref>). Protests at the summit are muted, with between dozens and hundreds of activists preemptively arrested and gaoled before the event.<ref name="AWB026">Boud, Doldrums, Neutralizer, Szajd, Rabbinity, Brian McNeil, Cirt & Anonymous101, [http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Dozens_preemptively_arrested_in_leadup_to_St_Petersburg_G8_Summit ‘Dozens arrested in leadup to St Petersburg G8 Summit’], ''Wikinews'' website, last revised 7 July 2008 (accessed 22 May 2014).</ref>

*'''26 August-4 September 2006:''' Participated in the first Camp for Climate Action, at the Drax power plant near Selby in North Yorkshire.<ref name="ABK085p220">Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, p220.</ref> Working as part of a 'small group who planned the site take' several days before the official opening,<ref name="IM3.002"/> she also had a role driving people to the site - as did fellow NPOIU spy [[Mark Kennedy]].<ref name="GN3.002"/><ref name="GN3.013">Paul Lewis & Rob Evans, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jan/17/spies-sexual-relations-activists-routine ‘Police spies court case suggest sexual relations with activists were routine’], ''The Guardian'', 17/01/13 (accessed 10 May 2014).</ref>

:During an action on Thursday 31st August, activists attempted to storm the grounds of Drax through holes cut in the fencing with tools hidden there the previous night, with both ‘Watson’ and Kennedy taking part. Kennedy was caught and beaten by police officers before he could effect entry.<ref name="ABK085p261-262">Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, p261-262.</ref> ‘Watson’ (who was subsequently arrested alongside another activist for her efforts) 'was present at the incident but went through the hole in the fence minutes before the beating...so she wasn't actually a witness' to Kennedy's assault. <ref name="AWB027">Tilly Gifford, David, Melissa Jones, Gemma Larsen & Eveline, [http://www.powerbase.info/index.php/Mark_Kennedy:_A_chronology_of_his_activities ‘Mark Kennedy: A chronology of his activities’], ''Powerbase'' website, last amended 18 February 2013 (accessed 22 May 2014).</ref>

:Notably, the Drax Climate Camp was the location for the first and only known sexual liaison by ‘Watson’ with an activist whilst undercover.<ref name="ABK085p221">Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, p221</ref>

==='''2007'''===
*'''Early 2007:''' Introduces new boyfriend to Leeds activists friends, ‘Sean’, whom she says is a locksmith from Northampton.<ref name="ABK085p221-2">Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, pp221-222</ref>
*'''14-21 August 2007:''' 2nd Climate Camp, Heathrow - again active,<ref name="GN3.002"></ref> again part of ‘site take’ planning team.<ref name="IM3.002"></ref><ref name="MS3.001">Solomon Hughes, [https://web.archive.org/web/20110130190139/http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/100343 ‘The long arm (and big feet) of the law…’], ''Morning Star'', 27 January 2011 (accessed via archive.org 25 May 2011).</ref>
*'''17 August 2007:''' Arrested at the Climate Camp related protest by Plane Stupid at the Department for Transport office building in Whitehall, central London.<ref name="GN3.004"/><ref name="IM3.005">mini mouse, [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/08/378561.html ‘Campers Glue on to DfT’], ''Indymedia UK'', 17 August 2007 (accessed 16 May 2014).</ref><ref name="IM3.006">Werewolf, [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/08/378579.html ‘More pics from today's DfT protest’], ''Indymedia UK'', 17 August 2007 (accessed 16 May 2014).</ref><ref name="IM3.007">Camp for Climate Action, [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/08/378551.html ‘Climate Activists Blockade Department For Transport To Stop Airport Expansion’], ''Indymedia UK'', 17 August 2007 (accessed 16 May 2014).</ref><ref name="MS3.001">Solomon Hughes, [https://web.archive.org/web/20110130190139/http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/100343 ‘The long arm (and big feet) of the law…’], ''Morning Star'', 27 January 2011 (accessed via archive.org 25 May 2011).</ref>
*'''1 September 2007:''' Resigns as director of ‘Leeds Social Centre Ltd’.<ref name="AMD121"></ref>
*'''Late 2007:''' Tells friends she is suffering from depression, is concerned she has a drink problem, and pulls out of a planned six week cycling tour of Spain.<ref name="ABK085p222"></ref>
*'''Late 2007:''' Introduces new boyfriend ‘Paul’, supposedly a photographer from Coventry.<ref name="ABK085p222">Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, p222.</ref>

==='''2008'''===
*'''January 2008:''' Announces that she is moving to Coventry to move in with ‘Paul’.<ref name="ABK085p224">Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, p224.</ref>
*'''May 2008:''' Supposedly moves to Lithuania with ‘Paul’.<ref name="BG3.002"></ref><ref name="ABK085p224"></ref>

==='''2009'''===
''No known activity by ‘Lynn Watson’.''

==='''2010'''===
*'''July 2010:''' By chance bumps into activist friend from Leeds whilst at pub in Swanage, Dorset. Acts uncomfortable, declines to give her phone number or address, is accompanied by suspicious men, and is told people thought she had been an undercover officer.<ref name="ABK085p234-238">Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, p234-238.</ref>
*'''October 2010:''' Confirmed as an undercover police officer by Mark Kennedy when he is confronted with a wealth of evidence regarding his own false identity by activists in Nottingham.<ref name="GN3.001">Paul Lewis, Rob Evans & Martin Wainwright, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/10/mark-kennedy-second-undercover-ecoactivist ‘Mark Kennedy knew of second undercover eco-activist’], ''The Guardian'', 10/01/11 (accessed 10 May 2014).</ref><ref name="ABK085p309">Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, p309.</ref>
*'''November 2010:''' [three weeks after Nottingham] Again confirmed (if more obliquely) as an undercover police officer by Mark Kennedy, this time in a telephone call with Dr Simon Lewis, one of the six defendants in the upcoming Ratcliffe raid ‘denier’ trial.<ref name="VID029">Richard Watson, [http://youtu.be/gpVteZejEK8 ‘Newsnight report about Mark Kennedy’], ''Newsnight'', BBC2, 10 January 2011 (accessed 15 April 2014).</ref><ref name="ABK085p312">Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, p312.</ref>

==='''2011'''===
*'''10 January 2011:''' Publicly exposed (but initially unnamed) in the wake of the Mark Kennedy story breaking in the mainstream media.<ref name="GN3.001"></ref>
*'''12 January 2011:''' Confirmed as “an officer from a police force in the south-east seconded to the National Public Order Intelligence Unit” by “senior police sources” in a story in ''The Guardian'', which “[a]t the request of intelligence officials” withholds identifying details about the woman, “who is still a serving officer”, and so refers to her only as [[Officer A|‘Officer A’]].<ref name="GN3.002"></ref>
*'''13 January 2011:''' Further exposed in ''The Guardian'', still referred to only as ‘Officer A’ but this time with a pixelated photograph of her face - again at the request of “senior police officers”.<ref name="GN3.003">Paul Lewis, Rob Evans & Vikram Dodd, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jan/12/second-undercover-police-officer ‘Revealed: Second undercover police officer who posed as activist’], ''The Guardian'', 13/01/11 (accessed 10 May 2014).</ref>
*'''13 January 2011:''' Named and pictured in the comments accompanying a post on the ''Indymedia UK'' website which reproduces and expands upon the same day's ''Guardian'' article.<ref name="IM3.001">quiteliketheguardianactually, [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/01/471994.html ‘Officer A’], ''Indymedia UK'', 13/01/11 (accessed 10 May 2014).</ref>
*'''19 January 2011:''' Named and fully pictured for the first time in the mainstream media in an article in ''The Guardian'',<ref name="GN3.004"></ref> having been - along with ‘[[Marco Jacobs (alias)|Marco Jacobs]]’, who until then had been referred to by ''The Guardian'' only as ‘Officer B’ - 'extracted from undercover roles in other investigations'.<ref name="GN3.005">Paul Lewis, Rob Evans & Rowenna Davis, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jan/19/undercover-policeman-married-activist-spy ‘Undercover policeman married activist he was sent to spy on’], ''The Guardian'', 19/01/11 (accessed 10 May 2014).</ref>
*'''22 March 2011:''' It is announced that The Common Place is to close, one of many reasons being the fact that 'one of our founding directors was not who they claimed to be and was in fact a member of the National Public Order Intelligence Unit'.<ref name="BG3.004">emma_culturevulture, [http://theculturevulture.co.uk/blog/people-and-places/the-common-place-is-closing/ ‘The Common Place is closing’], ''The Culture Vulture'', 27 March 2011 (accessed 12 September 2014).</ref>
*'''20 April 2011:''' In an article in ''The Times'' it is claimed that she had been “deployed in 15 operations involving serious organised crime, including drug trafficking and gunrunning”, that “three covert operations against crime gangs in the East Midlands were abandoned because Ms Watson’s identity became known”, that she had “now been afforded ‘protected person status’ under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act” and moved to a different part of the country with a new identity under armed police protection because of threats to her life from criminal gangs” since her exposure in January.<ref name="TS3.001">Sean O'Neill, [http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/crime/article2992340.ece ‘Police infiltrator in fear for her life after gang cover is blown’], ''The Times'', 20/04/11 (accessed 10 May 2014). O'Neill is a member of the [[Crime Reporters' Association]], known for its closeness to the policing establishment. </ref>

Also see:
::* [[Lynn Watson (alias)]]
::* [[Lynn Watson Gallery]]
::* [[Lynn Watson Bibliography]]

==Notes==
<references/>

Lynn Watson Undercover Timeline - Revision history

Eveline: Created page with "This is a chronologically-ordered breakdown of all known activity by the National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU) police officer ‘Lynn Watson’ during her un..."