What is a Public Inquiry? A Guide for Campaigners

As part of our research into police violence, surveillance, discrimination and judicial harassment on the frontline of environmental protest, we have heard many calls from activists for accountability. Public inquiries have been sold as a silver bullet, leading some defenders who have been wronged to propose that they also need an inquiry.

We carried out research and convened a one-day conference to distil knowledge and help the campaigns decide whether a public inquiry was right for them. With a strong focus on police violence, state failings, and community-led justice, the event explored structural barriers, proposed reforms, and grassroots alternatives to traditional legal processes.

To help grassroots organisations decide if they would like to initiate their own public inquiry we developed this Zine with anti racism writer Jose Hall. You can view and download the zine here.