British Police Have Disturbingly Deceived Many Activists Into Romantic Relationships
An unknown number of British women have been deceived into relationships with undercover police officers. We spoke to one of them about how she found out, what justice would look like, and why the program was so horrifyingly abusive.
Graduating officers take part in a parade for new recruits at the Metropolitan Police Service Training College on November 3, 2017 in London, England. (Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images)
“As far as I was concerned, I’d met someone, and they were going to be my partner for life. I was going to marry them and have children with them.”
In her new memoir Small Town Girl: Love, Lies, and the Undercover Police, activist Donna McLean writes of her boyfriend, known to her then as Carlo Neri, proposing at their shared Maida Vale apartment on New Year’s Eve in 2002. It was three months after they had met, introduced by mutual friends while protesting against the direction of the British government to go to war against Iraq. Carlo had already won the love of her family and had become a comfortable member of her tight-knit circle of friends.
Donna said yes. Carlo wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off her feet; those who had gathered at the couple’s home to celebrate the new year cheered. The atmosphere was euphoric.
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