what to do when you think you see a provocateur
July 8, 2010 - 12:28pm
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Syndicate
definitely
While watching this video from Philadelphia 2009, it occurred to me that we could use a thread to discuss what kinds of responses are effective when dealing with suspected provocateurs. I'll start by posting several successful examples of exposure. I'm really hoping those with hands-on experience will contribute to the thread.
Many people who are confronted with unfamiliar situations, and who have never had first-hand experience with state-sanctioned infiltrators, are at a complete loss when they see people like the ones in these clips. How do you respond to that uneasy feeling in your gut? Others don't know how activists can tell the difference between genuine and fake on-the-ground and in-the-moment. It might be very helpful to spell it all out.
The inspiration for this thread: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrJ7aU-n1L8&NR=1
Yummy example from Toronto: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r-6cnGkp3Y
The classic Montebello clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St1-WTc1kow
It should be an organizational response, i.e., don't presume you've figured it all out. And, if you're wrong, no harm done. Provocateurs and informants should be considered together, as in the American Sociological Review article from the early 1970's, and certainly in the case of the latter it's sometimes better to just leave them alone and work 'em to the bone! ha ha
Many veteran trade unionists have lots of experience with this stuff. They don't discuss it a lot. It's useful to consider why that might be.
I've considered that, too! This is the big virtual world with many eyes gazing. I do think there might be things people would be willing to share though, so newbies can get a sense of what to look for and effective / constructive ways to respond. It might also be helpful to provide examples showing that this is no trend. This is not new.
Regina Riot: Police infiltrators revealed
N.Beltov, I am vaguely twigging to a very excellent quote about having infiltrators do the hard slogging, as long as they give more than they get, but it's not quite coming to me.
Writer - our mutual friend who moved to New Brunswick taught me about putting them to work quite a few years ago.
The article from the American Journal of Sociology, Volume 80, No. 2, September 1974, pp. 402-442, "Thoughts on a Neglected Category of Social Movement Participant: the Agent Provocateur and the Informant", by Gary T. Marx had a quote about working the bastards.
"Trotsky believed that the contribution agents could make outweighed the harm they might do because of their lack of inhibitions." (p. 426)
There's more. In a previous babble thread, recently, there was a link to the full article.
Here it is! Gary T. Marx, etc. Thoughts on ...
(The above is a link to a pdf file.)
And here is a link to more stuff about the tipic than you could imagine. Gary Marx's website.