Manchester cafe owner says police tried to recruit him to spy on Palestine Action

Exclusive: Shams Sadiq says officers offered financial inducements and to turn a ‘blind eye’ to certain offences

A cafe owner claims police offered him financial benefits and to turn a “blind eye” to certain low-level offences if he informed on Palestine Action.

Shams (his nickname) Sadiq, who owns two Manchester cafes, said the inducements were offered when he went to collect electronic devices that police had confiscated during his arrest last year in connection with alleged offences relating to the banned direct action group.