Spies on campus

You report that an officer at Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command asked universities in London to inform on planned student demonstrations and occupations ( Met asks colleges for protest details , 17 January). Does this officer really think demonstrations fall within his remit? This is a frightening prospect. Historically and today, demonstrations are the only reason we've got any form of democracy at all. The use of police for political purposes has to stop. Secondly, spying on students is a provocation and likely to lead to more occupations. Who needs undercover police officers as agents provocateurs? Police strategies are doing the job already. I should remind them that at Leeds University in 1968 Jack Straw faced no opposition to the motion to occupy until we had cast-iron guarantees that there would be no more "spies on campus". I think we should add the demand for democratic accountability of the police. Mike Hames South Nutfield, Surrey