Outside agitator: Difference between revisions

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The term gained further prominence during the [[George Floyd protests]], with local officials in Minneapolis claiming that most protesters were not from the city, despite jail records and social media indicating otherwise.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Officials blame 'out-of-state' agitators but those at the heart of protests are homegrown |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2020/05/31/george-floyd-protest-agitators-mostly-homegrown-not-outsiders/5300362002/ |author1=[[Brett Murphy]] |author2=Josh Salman |author3=Dak Le |date=May 31, 2020 |newspaper=USA Today |language=en-US |access-date=2020-06-02}}</ref> The term was also used during the [[Ferguson unrest]] in 2014.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-06-10 |title=Unmasking The 'Outside Agitator' |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/06/09/873592665/unmasking-the-outside-agitator |access-date=2021-03-26 |publisher=[[NPR]] |language=en}}</ref>

The term saw wide use by public figures and media coverage during the [[2024 pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses]]. The term was used to dismiss student protests by claiming that they'd been coopted by foreign actors rather than acting organically.<ref>{{Cite news |title=A retired teacher saw inspiration in Columbia’sColumbia's protests. Eric Adams called her an outside agitator |url=https://apnews.com/article/columbia-protests-eric-adams-outsiders-5319fdf36599295a3840d77c69458b57 |author=Jake Offenhartz |date=2024-05-01 |access-date=2024-05-02 |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |language=en}}</ref> After clearing out the [[2024 Columbia University pro-Palestinian campus occupation]], New York police deputy commissioner Tarik Sheppard claimed that the chains of bike locks sold by Columbia University were "not what students bring to school" to support the claim that outside agitators were responsible for students locking themselves in [[Hamilton Hall (Columbia University)|Hamilton Hall]].<ref> {{Cite news |date=2024-05-01 |title=NY Police Deputy Commissioner Brings Chains Used By Columbia ‘Agitators’'Agitators' Into Morning Joe Studio, Claims It’sIt's ‘Not'Not What Students Bring to School’School' |url=https://www.mediaite.com/politics/ny-police-deputy-commissioner-brings-chains-used-by-columbia-agitators-into-morning-joe-studio-not-what-students-bring-to-school/ |author=Zachary Leeman |access-date=2024-05-02 |publisher=[[Mediaite]] |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[Paid protester]]

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[[Category:Civil rights movement]]

[[Category:Political terminology of the United States]]

[[Category:Political tropes]]

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