Fact check: Have there been confirmed cases of agent provocateurs at US political rallies?

1. Summary of the results

There is substantial documented evidence of agent provocateurs operating at US political events and movements. Multiple sources confirm specific cases, including:

• The infiltration of Occupy Wall Street by Chicago police officers ^[1]
• The "NATO 3" entrapment case ^[1]
• DEA surveillance of recent protesters ^[1]
• FBI infiltration of civil rights groups ^[1]
• Infiltration of the Black Panthers movement ^[1]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The phenomenon is not unique to the United States. Several sources highlight that agent provocateurs are a:

• Global phenomenon with documented cases across multiple countries ^[2]
• Particularly well-documented in European contexts, including G8 summit protests ^[3]
• Tactic used against various types of movements, including:
• Environmental protests ^[2]
• Trade unions ^[2]
• Racial justice movements ^[2]
• Anti-war movements ^[1]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question's focus on "confirmed cases" might be too narrow for several reasons:

• Many cases remain undocumented or classified, with evidence emerging years later (implied across multiple sources)
• Law enforcement agencies benefit from maintaining plausible deniability about these operations ^[3]
• The practice is controversial and often denied by authorities, despite evidence ^[2]
• Different terminology might be used to describe similar activities, such as "undercover operations" or "surveillance" ^[1]

The beneficiaries of these operations typically include:

• Law enforcement agencies seeking to monitor or disrupt movements ^[1]
• Political entities wanting to discredit specific movements or protests (implied across sources)
• Government agencies maintaining social control ^[1]