The looting and destruction of property that has taken place in Ferguson, Missouri has been the primary justification for the excessive police and military action in the community this week. However, it seems that there is a good possibility that the looters have come from out of town, and are not affiliated in any way with the protesters. It is also highly possible, if not probable, that agent provocateurs have been sent in to create trouble, so the police then have an excuse to use as much force as they want against the protesters.

In most cases, political protestors are nonviolent and do everything they possibly can to avoid clashes with the police. Demonstrators are well aware that they are out-matched in terms of firepower and are only getting out in the streets in large numbers to show how much support is behind their message.

Almost every single time there is a public protest, the authorities are unsympathetic and use heavy force to intimidate anyone who may want to resist in the future. Although, they don’t attack the protesters with guns blazing right away, because they know that it will further expose their oppressive nature and add credibility to the revolutionary movement. So agent provocateurs are used to instigate physical altercations between activists and authorities.

Agent Provocateurs are people that work for the police, but pretend to be a part of an anti-establishment crowd. While undercover, these agents commit acts of violence and vandalism to give the police a pretense to use force against the demonstrators. Once the agent smashes one window or throws one rock on behalf of the group they have infiltrated, the authorities are able to send in the heavy guns and turn the protest into a war zone.

29-year-old Craig Ruffin, told the Riverfront Times that he believes the looters weren’t even from the community. “This is really tragic — we shop at all these stores,” he said. “I’m with the peaceful protesting. But this right here, this is not what we’re about.”

During the interview Craig saw a group of possible looters and told reporters that they were not from the area.

“See? They’re waiting for the police to leave the store,” he told them. “They’re not from here.”

Lindsey Johnson, another neighbor that was interviewed, also said that it was strangers who were responsible for the looting.

“We know the people who own that store,” Johnson told Daily RFT. “We have relationships with them. They’re good people.”

“There are a lot of opportunists running around trying to take advantage of what’s been happening in Ferguson, but it’s not people in Ferguson doing it. Why would you ruin a store where you live and need to go shop at?” Johnson added.

In fact, it was reported by multiple sources that groups of protesters were posted up in front of stores throughout the city to protect them from looters.