Mark Kennedy: A chronology of his activities

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Date Place event organisation/campaign involved/facilitating mark's role target groups/people he was in communication with potential paper trail additional comments source (inc URL) media source person (incl contact details / or ref if anonymous) photo material yes/no who could tell us more noteworthy oddities
13/08/2003-17/08/2003 Yorkshire Earth First! Gathering Earth First! Turned up as a punter. First time anyone has really met him. He later capitalised on the fact that people assumed he was OK as he had been at EF. MK was generally active with the Nottingham local group first and GM was what was going on at the time. Earth First! Uk / Anti- GM MK turned up at the Sumac centre in Notts before the gathering asking about transport to it. anon no When he was talking to friends in 2005 he cited the EF! Gathering as a transformative experience; being impressed by the people and politics etc.
Autumn (2003) UK Anti-GM action, office occupation Anti-GM Driver Bayer Earth First! Uk / Anti- GM ? unlikely, quite long time ago MK drove a white people carrier on the action. He impressed activists by reporting accurate information about the location of the police in the area. anon no
05/11/2004-06/11/2004 London European Social Forum European Social Forum Main driver; delivering leaflets and food to 3 different occupied buildings during ESF. 1,000-1,200 were housed in these buildings. Wombles unlikely, he used his own vehicle. anon MK mainly used his own vehicle, a white Toyota pick up for missions.
Spring/Summer ( 2004 ) Germany, London, Brighton, Nottingham Picked up Zapatista coffee from Hamburg Germany and transported it to social centre in North London Ex-Grand Banks Social Centre/Wombles Van driver Ex-Grand Banks Social Centre/Wombles/ Cafe Rebelda ( Hamburg ) / Sumac
Spring (2004) Ireland Grassroots Gathering promoting G8 Scotland Dissent! Driver of roadshow, bingo caller G8 Scotland Workers Solidarity Movement, Rossport Solidarity Campaign, Shell to Sea. Travelled extensively with Trapese collective, useful way to gain contacts and trust networking across UK and beyond. http://www.indymedia.ie/article/97967 Was the only person at that time to have high-tech equipment such as a laptop with wi-fi connection, he always allowed people to use to check emails and research stuff.
01/05/04 Ireland, Dublin EU summit Supported a black bloc of over 100 people. Was on the front row of the bloc which pushed through police lines MK part of affinity group who secured a squat to act as housing. The squat was raided. Attacking police. Supplied defensive equipment. 3 people from London, UK were arrested during the raid. Police and government WSM / Wombles People serve prison sentences relating to material delivered by him from UK. Some people were in jail for a week, others were made to stay in Ireland to answer bail for 6 months until their court case. http://www.indymedia.ie/article/97967 anon yes One of those taking part in the protest recalls being astonished by Kennedy's action on the day. "I saw him taking off his balaclava as he was coming out of the crowd. I was amazed that someone would stand close to police lines and take his mask off.” Unconfirmed but suspected that police had intelligence on the activities of some anti-capitalist activists who had travelled across the Irish Sea from Britain. A unit from the garda's Pearse Street station smashed its way into a flat on Leeson Street in Dublin occupied by English anarchists and arrested several people. MK had a newspaper cutting in a frame on his boat which showed line of masked up people at Dublin Mayday 2004 and he was one of them. He also had this up on the wall in his house for many years.
2004 Ireland, Dromoland Castle Anti-George Bush protest Participant WSM http://www.indymedia.ie/article/97967 anon
Ireland 2004-2006 Trainer for anarchist groups MK made at least two other visits to Ireland over the next two years. These included acting as a trainer on a programme for anarchist activists later in 2004 on civil disobedience.
September (2004) Nottingham Rising Tide gathering Helped organise a Rising tide gathering, was part of organising collective.
06/04/2005-10/04/2005 Lanarkshire Festival of Dissent Gathering Helped with set-up and transport.
April (2005) Planning meeting for banner drop Anti-BP campaign Anti-BP banner was meant to be hung during ESF but banner wasn't ready. He came to meeting place when banner was being made; it was postponed. BP Autonomous action
26/04/05 England Banner drop Anti-BP campaign Climber and banner hanger BP Autonomous action no Banner drop coincided with BP annual financial review (originally meant to be during ESF). 10 climbers, MK hung the banner and others helped. He coordinated. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/10/mark-kennedy-undercover-cop-activist anon no From early on in his involvement MK helped establish himself with frequent climbing and mountaineering trips with friends. He continued to do this up until his exposure.
07/04/2005-10/04/2005 Ireland, County Clare EYFA winter meeting EYFA Participant Organising meeting EYFA check with EYFA http://www.indymedia.ie/article/97967 anon EYFA
24/06/05 Belfast fund-raiser for the G8
06/07/2007-08/07/2005 Gleneagles, Stirling Scotland G8 Dissent! Coordinated transport for the protests around the G8 in Scotland, organised a fleet of minibuses and other vehicles. Dissent! Started a fight outside the gates of the “Horizone” camp in Stirling by the main gates of the site. Was often seen standing their using his handsfree kit (uncommon at the time) which may or may not have been directly transmitting to the police who were constantly standing nearby. Organised at least 1 second hand car that was used as part of a blockade during the summit. He communicated with activists over a “secure phone” to arrange collection in Edinburgh and position in blockade. Dissent!/indymedia uk anon ? Dissent! Gained the name “Transport Mark”. Sorted equipment and coordinated activists to use vehicles to disrupt talks.
Summer 2005 Iceland actions against ALCOA and the dams at Karahnjukar. Saving Iceland Participated in actions against the dam; participated in Olafur Pall Sigurdsson international SOS tour. MK shared contacts and skills with the campaign and introduced people to those across Europe. MK networked a lot and gained trust by doing a lot of driving and sharing resources. MK Kennedy did not play a major role in actions in Iceland in the years that he visited. He had already left the protest camp before it was evicted from Karahnjukar, and was not present when it relocated at Vad Farm in Skriddal. MKonly participated in two mass lock-ons at the Karahnjukar dam site, prior to the eviction, and consequently he played no part in a number of actions that were carried out following the eviction later that summer, both at Karahnjukar and at the construction site of the ALCOA smelter in Reydarfjordur, or the actions we carried out in the Reykjavik area in August. Kennedy also never ran errands to Reykjavik on behalf of SI. MK was NOT pivotal in the birth of Iceland’s environmental movement; that he was NOT instrumental in training Icelanders in direct action; that he was NOT a key figure in various protests in the east of the country; or was a key decision maker within Saving Iceland. ALCOA and dams Saving Iceland possibly So far the Icelandic State police have not answered the request of the Icelandic National Broadcasting about whether they communicated with Mark Kennedy and his superiors. Only the local police force in the east, where the dams and ALCOA factory are located, have issued an evasive answer stating that they had not “intervened” with the “protester” Mark Stone during the protests. MK did not return to Iceland for the 2006 protest camps at Karahnjukar, Snaefell and Reydarfjordur. Although he continued attending some gatherings, his activities within the campaign gradually diminished, and finally ceased in 2007. The level of his involvement has been greatly exaggerated by the Guardian, specifically Amelia Hill. In other articles that are concerned with Mark Kennedy’s involvement with British groups the Guardian several times quotes British activists in saying that Kennedy did not act as a strategist or decision maker in their movement, but that he made him himself useful as a driver and an energetic facilitator in day to day logistics. One source is reported by the Guardian in even going so far to say that Kennedy was not considered the sharpest knife in the box.


http://www.savingiceland.org/2011/01/statement-concerning-the-case-of-undercover-policeman-mark-stone-kennedy/, http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/14/mark-kennedy-iceland-green-movement anon Saving Iceland MKwas never a trainer for Saving Iceland nor did he train any Icelanders. Did MK take part in the training of Icelandic police officers when they attended a course with the British police in the winter of 2005-2006 where they received training in how to violate groups such as Saving Iceland? Also he used a different email address than normal for this campaign: levelingtheplayingfield69@yahoo.co.uk None of the activists in the first two lock-ons at Karahnjukar in 2005 were actually Icelandic; these were the only actions MK was part of in Iceland. All the people involved apart from Kennedy were highly experienced activists from different countries who had no need of any training or introduction to such methods, by MK or anyone else. Furthermore, road blocks and tripods were not even employed that summer. SI did not use tripods as means of protest until in the summer of 2008 at the site of a Century Aluminum smelter in Hvalfjordur, near Reykjavik, several years after he had come to Iceland. The actual direct action training courses in Iceland took place in May 2004 and June 2005, MK did not come to Iceland until July 2005, after the protests at the G8 summit in Gleneagles.
January (2006) Runcorn, Cheshire Blockade at ALCOA plant Saving Iceland MK drove support people. No arrests. Lock on entrance blocked for several hours then everyone walked away, MK drove people back. ALCOA and dams Saving Iceland MK was using his own vehicle for transport. He met people en route and then gave them a lift. He agreed to let another activist drive his vehicle, and he drove an older one. anon Saving Iceland Around this time an action was planned involving tripods and lock-on tubes. The police stopped the minibus before it could get to the site in Runcorn, but allowed activists to stay there with their equipment. Shortly after this, a second vehicle arrived and they were able to do the action anyway.
2006 Spain Speaking tour about Saving Iceland Saving Iceland Talked in various cities about the situation in Iceland: Madrid, Valencia, Murcia, Barcelona, Reus. MK took his pick up truck for use during the tour. ALCOA and dams Saving Iceland no Didn't stay in any place long, combined it with a climbing trip. Unconfirmed sighting of his “Mark Stone” passport. anon Saving Iceland
03/03/2006-04/03/2006 Ireland, Dublin Anarchist Bookfair Workers Solidarity Movement Participant WSM http://www.indymedia.ie/article/74661
2006 Ireland, Rossport County Mayo Visit to the Solidarity Camp Rossport Solidarity Campaign/Shell to Sea Helped with the camp, did some small actions. Shell gas pipeline construction/terminal Rossport Solidarity Camp, Shell to Sea
26/08/2006-04/09/2006 Selby, nr Leeds, Yorkshire Climate Camp Climate Camp Helped with reckies, transporting actions equipment for site take, and for general set up. Helped with transport during the camps. Used his credit card to buy equipment. Drax Coalfired Power Station Climate Camp, EF possibly for vehicle hire MK was attacked by 5 police officers from Yorkshire during the day of action attempting to get into the power station, He had bad back and head injuries and was very confused afterwards. People saw him straight after and he was pretty messy. His back became a recurring problem for him over the years and was often cited as his reason for trips away and a longer term reluctance to participate in stuff. Quite possibly true. He suffered from a lot of pain. Was aware of details of the plans for Drax, Heathrow, Kingsnorth climate camps. Worked with “Lynn Watson” (another undercover who was part of the land group). MK was seen winding up the cops prior to being assaulted. He said afterwards he had been frustrated at being stopped and searched so much during the set-up and having to be polite to them over and over. Lynn Watson was present at the incident but went through the hole in the fence minutes before the beating. Lynn was arrested with another activist, so she wasn't actually a witness. On leaving the Drax site he was stopped and searched again and has his climbing equipment confiscated. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/12/second-undercover-police-officer-unmasked, anon Climate Camp Was extremely calm during the “site take” he drove a box truck full of equipment and arrived smoking a fat cigar.
29/08/06 Hartleypool Blockade of nuclear power station Autonomous action during the Climate Camp MK d-locked himself to the back gates with other comrades. People were recruited for the action at the camp and then travelled autonomously for briefing in Leeds. Hartlepool Nuclear power station Climate Camp, EF unlikely MK didn't know details until the night before when there was briefing. Everyone even media and legal support were nicked. All bailed away from British energy power stations; without charge. No more bail by November. https://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/08/349444 http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/danigaravelli/Dani-Garavelli-Double-life-shocks.6692011.jp
2006 Berlin Autonomous actions Autonomous action Began spending time in Berlin, participated on covert actions with a closed group. Was spotted in Berlin with “Lynn Watson” another undercover (Officer A). Visited Berlin at least once a year from then on until his exposure. In Berlin, Zierke and the German police confirmed he was involved in an arson incident. Activists confirmed he set fire to a shipping container. MK visited once a year, possibly more. Also, likely that he visited prior to 2006 but unconfirmed. Assorted anti-capitalist and anti-fascist targets. Autonomous actions no No charges ― officials deemed it too minor to pursue. Die Spiegal, Anon. Http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,741939,00.html Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/26/mark-kennedy-german-bundestag Germany’s federal police chief, Jörg Ziercke, yes see guardian Autonomous Action Ziercke -German police chief- revealed that Kennedy, the Metropolitan police officer at the centre of a controversy over the infiltration of peaceful environmental groups across Europe, worked for three German states during at least five visits to the country between 2004 and 2009. Ziercke told the committee that Kennedy was active in three German states. He did not file reports from Berlin, Ziercke informed the Internal Affairs Committee. The BKA, however, informed Berlin city-state officials of his presence.
January-February (2007) Copenhagen, Denmark Social visit Invited himself to come visit a Danish activist, the two have met on more than one occasion in the UK, at Gleneagles in 2005 and at an Earth First Gathering. During his visit he invites a second Danish activist to come along on a trip to Berlin and Warsaw in the beginning of February. N/A no It is really important to get an accurate picture and his Danish link is interesting but it was nowhere near as big as his German one. anon
January-February (2007) Berlin and Warsaw Planning meeting for Heilingendamm G8 Dissent! Germany Drove 2 Danish activists in his car from Copenhagen to Berlin, where they stay in a collective for a couple of days. From Berlin a group of activist (German, English, Danish) go by train to Warsaw, to take part in a prep.meeting for the G8. Heiligendamm G8 Autonomous actions/networks no MK used any credibility he had in different countries to gain trust in others. Everyone stays at the same hostel in Warsaw. anon Autonomous Action MK started djing 2007 and played a few gigs in Berlin, though less than reported. MK clearly enjoyed djing and was something he did through out his time undercover.) He played at various parties, squats and night clubs.
January-February (2007) Copenhagen, Denmark Ungsdomhuset trip Ungdomhuset collective He visits Ungdomshuset (the Youth House) on one occasion, but only for a short while, and only gets to see the concert rooms and the bar. He wasn't part of the riots during the eviction. Ungsdomhuset, Cph Autonomous action / occupation no Whilst in Copenhagen he stays in the apartment of one of the activists. He visits two other private homes and meets with a total of five Danish activists. He doesn't participate in any political meetings. anon no Autonomous Action He was very drunk and a little volatile on the last night.


Notes

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