November 6, 2011 at 11:23:55By Ritt Goldstein (about the author)
Last week it emerged that the New York Police Department seems to have developed a new tactic against Occupy - encouraging those among New York City's 'darker side' to "take it to Zuccotti", according to a report first appearing in the NY Daily News. Of course, all those opposed to Occupy's courageous efforts have tried to paste unflattering labels on the protesters from the start, and since there's nothing dark or sinister about these good folks, it seems they had to find some 'darker types' to fit their description.
'eyes in the back of one's head' can be useful;
photo credit: David Shankbone
Very nasty, but subverting successful popular movements is how those who want to keep things the way they are do so. As a matter of fact, some readers might recall that the FBI used to have a covert program, one with the purpose of "surveilling, infiltrating, discrediting, and disrupting domestic political organizations", according to Wikipedia. It was called Cointelpro, and officially existed between 1956 and 1971.
As Cointelpro's effort included misinformation, defamation, wrongful violence and imprisonment, and a host of other dirty tricks, it was nasty but often effective. And, it even targeted such figures as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Given the increased police powers spawned by the 'War on Terror', it would be surprising if Occupy wasn't being similarly attacked today. Will any 'less than savory' acts blamed on Occupy be theirs, or rather the 'darker work' of those simply masquerading as them?
Agents provacateur can easily buy a Guy Fawkes mask, dress in black, and happily instigate and pursue violence that Occupy will be blamed for. It's an old tactic, and in the 19th and early 20th century there were so-called 'Pinkerton Men' that allegedly pursued questionable acts, Pinkerton being a private 'detective agency'.
"
Businessmen hired the Pinkerton Agency to provide agents that would infiltrate unions, to supply guards to keep strikers and suspected unionists out of factories, and sometimes to recruit goon squads to intimidate workers", notes Wikipedia. And reports of Occupy infiltrations by private security contractors have been published, as well as video coverage of alleged police infiltrators of Occupy Oakland placed upon You Tube...
Copwatch@Occupy Oakland: Beware of Police Infiltrators and Provocateurs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrvMzqopHH0It should also be noted here that, in some cases, municipal police are actually being paid by businesses. In example, Wall Street banks do have an ongoing relationship with NYPD, this being part of what's termed the 'Paid Detail Unit'.
As to what these events mean, one thing is certain - those that like things the way they are will fight any efforts to change them, and do so in ways that are less than obvious. But, as evidenced by the successes of the proud US Civil Rights Movement, 'we, the people', shall overcome!
I am an American investigative political journalist living in Sweden, and have lived in Sweden since July 1997. My work has appeared fairly widely, including in America's Christian Science Monitor, Spain's El Mundo, Sweden's Aftonbladet, Austria's (
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