[mc32]

From what I’ve read (which obviously is removed from the “ground” and has bias) China has inserted agent provocateurs, but haven’t coöpted the movement to that degree. It appears to be mostly grass roots though some of the lighter moderates evaporating leaving the moderates and hard core protesters to fight on which results in heavier tactics.

[krageon]

Assuming that a powerful nation has not deeply owned every large-scale protest is in my experience extremely naive. Either the protest has no teeth or it's penetrated all the way to the top with either government agents or extensive surveillance. This means that action outside of what the government feels like dealing with means arrests (no matter how temporary) and that any action that is taken means that the government does not care or will use it with an ulterior agenda.

It sort of bothers me how conspiracy theorist this sounds, but I know for a fact that this is the case.

[dmd]

If you really know this for a fact, you should contact https://www.nytimes.com/tips

But I'm guessing by 'fact' you mean 'I'm very convinced of my own opinions'.

[krageon]

I don't live in the United States, I do know it for a fact and I will not sabotage my own life or those of the people I care about just because you would love to read some drama in the papers. The net result of that would be that in a month or two nobody would remember it, and lives would still be ruined.

It is almost mystifyingly selfish of you to ask this of me, especially when you souse it with your fairly hostile closing remark.

[lstodd]

Assuming a modern protest has anything that can be called 'top' is extremely naive.

There is no hierarchy that can be suborned.