Baroness Lawrence Gives Evidence at Undercover Policing Inquiry

Baroness Doreen Lawrence has given evidence at the Undercover Policing Inquiry regarding the long-running surveillance of her family following the racist murder of her son, Stephen Lawrence, in 1993.

She spoke of her disbelief at claims that undercover officers were tasked with gathering information to “smear” or “destroy” her family. Baroness Lawrence told the Inquiry that the police appeared more focused on discrediting her family than investigating Stephen’s murder, despite repeated information being provided by the family and the community.

 

She described the assumptions made about her family because they were black, and the failure to act on the names of suspects passed to officers. Baroness Lawrence said she had only wanted to be treated the same as any other family and expressed concern that the investigation would have been handled differently had Stephen been white.

 

The evidence formed part of the Inquiry’s examination of the Special Demonstration Squad between 1993 and 2007, including allegations of racist attitudes, political surveillance, and wider misconduct.

 

Further information and media coverage:

ITV: https://www.itv.com/news/london/2025-11-20/stephen-lawrences-mother-in-disbelief-at-claim-police-sought-to-smear-family

Inquiry coverage: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3oo6KhrwOiA (from 2:35:05)

Channel 4: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rwG9ZvmwAS0