Are “outside agitators” infiltrating Black Lives Matter protests?

This appeared in The Millennial Source

Since last week, protests have erupted across the United States in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, a black man, by police officers. The protests, led by the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, are intended to bring greater attention to acts of police brutality perpetrated against people of color. Yet, in multiple cities, the protests have been intensified by rioting and the destruction of property.

President Donald Trump, state-level politicians and members of American law enforcement have placed the blame for the protest violence on outside groups. While there is evidence that extremist groups are using the protests as cover for a violent agenda, accusations of “outside agitators” have often been used in American history to delegitimize protests for black causes.

Protests turn to violence and destruction

Protests have spread from Minneapolis, the Minnesota city where George Floyd was killed,to cities across the US and even to other countries. As those protests have intensified and the police response has ratcheted up, multiple cities have seen rioting that has resulted in property destruction, looting and even police deaths.