Feminist Global Resistance will be posting a series of articles on techniques and safety tips for activists.

Our next article, “How to spot Agent Provocateurs”, is both a warning and a guide for all activists and was written in conjunction with our friends.  In every action, learn to expect those who will try to disrupt, infiltrate and cause mayhem.

Agent Provocateurs could be undercover police, security, or federal agents; they could be people of opposing ideas trying to discredit and destabilize your organization thereby disrupting your message, your impact and your action.  Learn to identify them and  prevent them from gaining any advantage or control.

To all activists, “dancing the streets” or participating in any form of action, activism requires a knowledge of what one may encounter during any action. Be prepared for any event and stay vigilant.

Remember, we are in this together so together we help each other.

Activism can be fun but it is serious business – take care of yourself and each other.

As always: Be prepared for confrontation and keep it safe out there!

Love and Solidarity!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jul 28, 2020 An individual dubbed “Umbrella Man” who is seen in social media videos destroying the windows of an Auto Zone in Minneapolis is suspected of being part of the Hell’s Angels gang, an associate of the Aryan Cowboys, and escalating tensions of what were peaceful protests following George Floyd’s death, police said in a search warrant application.

 

How to spot Agent Provocateurs

 

Would you be able to spot an agent provocateur?

They try to blend in and make friends. They appear to share your interests. Here’s a few tips on how to spot one:

• • Agents will often lack background connections or references. No one in your circles or related groups will know them.
  • They are quick learners and start to speak the language of the movement in a short space of time.
  • They usually have high intelligence, are charismatic and play the role well – changing not only their dress code, but also language and philosophy to suit the occasion.
  • Provocateurs encourage dangerous behaviors not necessarily aligned with the group, including arming with weapons, promotion of unprovoked violence or being the aggressor and itching for violence. They won’t start it, but given any provocation, they’re ready to start aggressiveness. This is a small proportion of any crowd, but since they may be seeking a conflict in general, they may be drawn to a protest in the hopes of having the chance to fight.
  • Provocateurs are ready to throw down but they would never be the first or even the tenth person to do so. However, if enough around them start, they’ll get into it
  • Agents try to keep discussions and action unproductive and still. They’ll spend plenty of time debating issues, with little action. They focus on ideas over people.
  • Agents tend to create messes in groups and between group members. They leave division in their wake. In a nutshell these bogus activists perform different tasks which include attacking and/or disrupting legitimate groups, or creating a diversion with constructed propaganda in order to discredit the leaders, distract members away from the focus and involve them in time-wasting turmoil intended to prevent them from doing anything that enhances the common good.
  • They tend to gravitate toward people in the group who are dissatisfied. Once relationships with those folks grow, the dissatisfaction spreads and they attempt to climb up the ranks
  • They are able to creep right into the inner workings of the movement and lay claim to all sorts of internal good work.
  • Some agents have been former prisoners who do this work as part of a deal. These folks tend to jump from organization to organization in a relatively short time.
  • Agents don’t have known sources of income. They might have a job that doesn’t match their spending or claim their money comes from prior savings.
  • They use flattery, bolstering certain people’s self-image by casting them as the potential ‘leader’ and speaking of their leadership qualities.
  • When confronted, they will get defensive and start making their own accusations.
  • They act like zealots, but they don’t have the fruit of it. They have passion but don’t truly care

Agent provocateurs show up from nowhere in particular and disappear once they achieve their end goal. That goal may be different depending on the provocateur – inciting violence; gathering intel for later arrests; sowing discord to destroy specific actions or organizations. Whatever their goal, as activists, we must be vigilant.