| | by admin | | posted on 8th July 2025 in Power to Protest | | views 214 | |
A controversial police unit, the Special Patrol Group (SPG) became a familiar and feared presence at CND demonstrations in the 1970s and 80s.
The Special Patrol Group (SPG) was established by the Metropolitan Police in 1961 as a mobile, rapid-response unit. Unlike regular officers, SPG members travelled in vans and were deployed to manage public order incidents across London. They were specially trained, uniformed, and heavily equipped, and their numbers could be quickly concentrated in areas of perceived trouble.
While originally intended for serious disturbances, by the 1970s the SPG had become a frequent presence at political protests, strikes, and marches. Among their regular assignments were demonstrations organised by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), which had grown into one of the largest protest movements in Britain.
Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, the SPG were often deployed at major CND events, including marches to Aldermaston, demonstrations outside the Ministry of Defence, and mass sit-down protests in city centres. For peace campaigners — many of whom were committed to nonviolence — the arrival of SPG vans often signalled the start of tension and possible confrontation.
Many in the peace movement noted the difference in tone and approach between ordinary police officers and the SPG. Whereas some officers engaged with protestors calmly, SPG officers were known for quick arrests, pushing crowds back with force, and removing banners or sound equipment without warning. Protesters frequently accused them of provocation and heavy-handed tactics.
The SPG’s reputation was permanently stained by the events of April 1979, when Blair Peach, a teacher and anti-racist activist, died after being struck on the head during a demonstration in Southall, West London. SPG officers were present at the scene, and although no one was charged, an internal police report — kept secret for decades — concluded that a member of the unit had likely caused his death.
This incident confirmed the fears of many in the peace and anti-racist movements: that the SPG operated with near impunity, and that accountability was lacking. Blair Peach became a symbol of the risks faced by protestors, and his name was invoked frequently at demonstrations in the years that followed.
William Whitelaw served as Home Secretary from 1979 to 1983, a period marked by rising protest, industrial unrest, and the growing visibility of CND. As Home Secretary, he was ultimately responsible for policing policy in England and Wales, including oversight of the Metropolitan Police and the operations of the Special Patrol Group.
It was during Whitelaw’s time in office that Blair Peach was killed at a demonstration in Southall. The internal Cass Report, which strongly implicated SPG officers in Peach’s death, was completed but never published. Whitelaw refused calls to release the report to the public, citing operational security and the independence of the police. To many, this decision appeared as a deliberate act of obstruction and a refusal to hold the SPG accountable.
For members of the peace movement, and for anti-racism campaigners, Whitelaw became a symbol of establishment indifference to police violence. His name was frequently invoked at rallies and demonstrations, and placards at CND events sometimes featured slogans linking him to the suppression of peaceful dissent. In refusing to act against the SPG, many believed he allowed a culture of impunity to thrive. His reputation in these circles was marked by distrust, anger, and a sense of betrayal.
Public concern over the SPG continued to grow throughout the 1980s, fuelled by allegations of brutality, secrecy, and a culture of internal solidarity over accountability. In 1987, the SPG was disbanded and replaced by the Territorial Support Group (TSG), which performs a similar function with revised guidelines and oversight.
For those involved in nonviolent protest, the memory of the SPG remains significant. It is a reminder that peaceful assembly is not always met peacefully — and that the right to dissent must be continually defended. The presence of the SPG became a symbol of how far the state was willing to go to control public protest, even against movements rooted in nonviolence.