Since gathering in groups to use our right to free speech is
perfectly legal, why do police infiltrate protest movements with
undercover cops? Why not simply police these events in uniform?
Maybe it’s because police officers — or at least their police chiefs — are inclined to destroy all protest
movements, no matter how peaceful or just they are. Seen through that
lens, undercover cops are just another tool — along with police
departments’ assault weapons, body armor, and SWAT vehicles — to force
our compliance.
Alas, for some folks, all demands for justice pose a threat, whether you’re from No KXL or from Al Qaeda. No wonder police approach the Occupy and #BlackLivesMatter
movements the same way they approach crime rings and terrorist cells:
With bullets, tear gas, and infiltration by undercover cops.
How can undercover cops destroy a protest movement? In an entry on agent provocateurs, Wikipedia
explains that options for these cops include: causing drama to sow
discord, inciting protesters to acts that are violent and/or not
legal (though framing them or setting them up works just as well), and
publicly sharing information in a way that makes a protest movement look
less credible.
