Don’t Fall for the Myth of the “Outside Agitator” in Racial Justice Protests

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 29: Protesters rally outside the Fifth Police Precinct on May 29, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Protests have been ongoing in the state and around the country since George Floyd's death while in police custody on Monday. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Over the last few days, we’ve seen a national uprising against racism and police brutality. In response, the first instinct of the defenders of the status quo was to unite behind an old talking point: the uprising was carried out by “outside agitators” from beyond the communities where the protests took place. It’s a trope that should be immediately recognized as both false and designed to downplay and write off the widespread anger that led to these rebellions.

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