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1. It has become a focus of attention during the pro-Palestinian protests.

We’ve heard the term “outside agitators” thrown around a lot in recent weeks, as nationwide protests against Israel’s war in Gaza have spread to college campuses.

More than 2,100 people have been arrested in the protests, and New York City officials say nearly half of the 282 people detained at two separate schools last week are not currently affiliated with either institution.

Mayor Eric Adams has been one of the staunchest critics of the outsiders, saying they are the reason for the heavy police presence on campuses.

“There is a movement to radicalize young people and I am not going to wait until it is done and suddenly acknowledge its existence,” he said, a statement with which many students disagree.

This narrative of outsiders co-opting protests is not new. Here are times you may have heard it before:

• In 2020, during protests against the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
• During the 2014 protests in Ferguson, Missouri, following the murder of 18-year-old Michael Brown.
• During the protests against the Vietnam War.
• Describe the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement.

2. The term is vague and adaptable.

The label “outside agitator” is not clearly defined and somewhat malleable, says Justin Hansford, a law professor at Howard University and executive director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center.

Hansford participated in the 2014 protests in Ferguson and says he visited recent campus protests against the war in Gaza. He said Consider this that “external agitators” are usually characterized in three ways:

• they are bad people
• They are not a legitimate part of the protest or movement.
• They are manipulative and trying to cause problems.

“Using that phrase makes (the protests) seem more dangerous… it actually just changes the view and the image of what the protest is,” he said.

Hansford also makes the distinction between agitators – who may be trying to stir up trouble – and infiltrators – who may belong to an opposing group trying to undermine a cause from within.

3. The motivations for using this specific phrase.

Hansford acknowledges that there are people outside the protests on college campuses. He says history has shown that authorities use the phrase “agitators” to create a path for a more aggressive response to protests.

“People look at the righteous indignation of those who see these terrible images, whether it’s George Floyd or what’s happening in Gaza, and there is a certain level of sympathy,” he said. “So it becomes a political risk to be seen as taking very harsh measures against people who are sympathetic.”

But if authorities can make it look like they are going after nefarious outside agitators, Hansford said, then the political situation will be more fluid.

To understand how the term was used against Martin Luther King Jr. and other black protesters, listen to the full text. Consider this episode by tapping the play button at the top of the page.