How Agent Provocateurs Harm Our Movements

How Agent Provocateurs Harm Our Movements: Some Historical Examples and a Few Ideas on Reducing the Risk

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History shows us that peoples' movements are more likely to suc-ceed when they have unity among supporters, widespread participa-tion, strategic planning, and non-violent discipline. Unsurprisingly, movement opponents use agent provocateurs-fake activists work-ing undercover-to behave in counterproductive ways that undermine these four keys to success.

Drawing from international exam-ples, and an in-depth case study of the US Black Liberation Movement, this volume explores how agent provocateurs-and agent provoca-teur-like behavior-make movements smaller, weaker, and easier to de-feat. It also offers some ideas for how activists can inoculate their movements against such harms and increase their chances of success.