Bush protester not me, says cop

BY LIZ O'REILLY

The high ranking British Transport cop, who lost out on a job with the county force over risqué internet postings, has denied stirring up protesters who turned out to demonstrate against George Bush.

In last week's Mail on Sunday Yasmin Whittaker- Khan wrote of seeing a familiar face at the June 15 Whitehall demonstration.

She told how the man repeatedly shouted 'Kill the pigs' and urged fellow protesters to breach the crowd control barriers - which they later did clashing with the huge police presence in a series of disturbances which made headlines around the world.

Miss Whittaker-Khan did not identify the man but did say she believed him to be a police officer she had met on a previous occasion.

It is believed they met at a party in Bedford.

The officer has now been named, by Respect MP George Galloway, as Bedford-based Inspector Chris Dreyfus who was to have taken up a post with the county's police force in February.

Bedfordshire on Sunday reported that the job offer was withdrawn after it was discovered he had received an official warning over a posting on his Facebook page giving details of his gay lifestyle and showing him posing outside a tube station in his transport police uniform.

Now Mr Galloway has written to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith calling for an investigation of Inspector Dreyfus's alleged actions branding him an agent provocateur.

His letter states: 'This man, to my direct knowledge, committed four criminal offences during the 30 minutes or so he stood next to me. First, he repeatedly chanted the arcane, antiquated Americana, 'Kill the pigs!' 'This is a clear incitement to violence, indeed murder.

If a Muslim demonstrator had been chanting it, say, outside the Danish Embassy, he would likely now be in prison.

'Second, he repeatedly (crushing me in the process) attempted to charge the crush barriers and the police line behind them.

'Third, he repeatedly exhorted others so to do.

Fourth, he instructed a young demonstrator on the correct way to uncouple a crush barrier, which was successfully achieved and was subsequently thrown at the police, and was presumably one of the justifications for the deployment of a riot squad which eventually waded in to the protesters.

'Home Secretary, there can hardly be a more grave indictment of the conduct of the police force in a democratic country than this.

'People in the Labour movement have often mythologised the state's use of agents provocateurs throughout my 40 years experience and no doubt long before. But, to my recollection, we have never caught one red-handed before.' But Insp Dreyfus categorically denies any involvement.

He told Bedfordshire on Sunday: "It wasn't me, I'm taking legal advice." A Home Office spokesman said: "We received Mr Galloway's letter yesterday and will respond in due course."