London, March 13 (RHC)-- Britain’s Scotland Yard police have been accused of covering up "institutionalized sexism" in a bid to block claims by women deceived into relationships with undercover officers.

Lawyers for the police have been accused of blocking claims of five women who say they were duped into long-term relationships with four officers. The policemen were working within the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) set up to infiltrate protest groups in the British capital.

The latest allegation comes as an independent inquiry is underway into the murder of Black teenager Stephen Lawrence, whose family was targeted by the force. Lawrence was stabbed to death in a racist unprovoked attack by a gang of youths in Eltham, southeast London in April 1993.

Almost twenty years after his death, two people -- Gary Dobson and David Norris -- were found guilty of murdering Stephen. A major review into police corruption in the original murder investigation led by Mark Ellison QC has found that a Metropolitan Police "spy" was working within the "Lawrence family camp" during the course of the judicial inquiry into matters arising from Stephen's death.

The undercover officer collected information on the family when they were grieving for their dead son. Brian Richardson, a barrister who has set up an umbrella group, Campaign Opposing Police Surveillance, said: "It is extremely important that the proposed inquiry considers the infiltration of the Lawrence family campaign and that of [all] the targets of police surveillance."