Special Demonstration Squad

The Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) was an undercover unit of Greater London's Metropolitan Police Service (MPS or the Met), set up in 1968 with the approval of the Wilson government,[1] to infiltrate British protest groups.

[7][8] Formed as a response to the anti-war demonstrations held outside the U.S. Embassy in London, then based at Grosvenor Square, the squad's purpose was to infiltrate "left-wing direct-action groups" using undercover police officers (nicknamed "hairies" because of their hippie appearance), who would liaise with MI5.

[12] Some members of the SDS engaged in sexual relationships with protest organisers in an attempt to gain trust,[13] and in some cases fathered children by them.

[15] In the documentary broadcast as part of Channel 4's Dispatches programme, Francis confirmed that allegations made about officers having relationships with women involved with political protest movements were true.

The payment was part of an agreement for her to drop her legal action alleging assault, negligence, deceit and misconduct by senior officers.

When the boy was two years old his father vanished, and she told BBC News she had received psychiatric care after learning the officer's real identity.

Mr Lambert did not respond to BBC requests for comment on the settlement but had previously said that he wanted to apologise to women with whom he had relationships and that he had made some "serious mistakes".

[1][22] In early 2014 a television drama series was announced based on the Special Demonstration Squad officers and their long-term relationships with activists upon whom they were spying.