4 ms·

Do they also infiltrate similarly dangerous right-wing groups? I meant that as a serious question, not as a Socratic way to make a point. I don't recall that be

Do they also infiltrate similarly dangerous right-wing groups? I meant that as a serious question, not as a Socratic way to make a point. I don't recall that being reported but maybe it's due to my poor memory, or maybe it just hasn't been discovered.

Joeboy 8y ago
Yes (eg. C18 and the BNP), but going by this (incomplete and possibly misleading) list, not to nearly the same extent as left-wing groups. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-interactive/2018/oct/15/uk-political-groups-spied-on-undercover-police-list https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-interactive/2018/oct/... Edit: "Similarly dangerous" is a bit subjective (some people are terrified of socialism), but in terms of danger of actual violence perpetrated by members of the groups, I'd say the BNP and especially C18 were on a very different level from the left-wing groups on the list that I'm familiar with. But then I've personally received death threats from C18 so maybe I'm biased.
- wmil 8y ago
  There are a far fewer far right groups, so you can't really compare compare them by counting the number of infiltrated orgs. In general righties aren't big fans of decentralized organizations. At least in the US far right groups are infiltrated like crazy since FBI agents / informers don't look out of place in a room full of straight white males.
  - forapurpose 8y ago
    > There are a far fewer far right groups Do you know of some empirical basis for that? Also, what about numbers of members?
    - tracker1 8y ago
      At varying levels there are government agents at any level of criminal activity undercover. My dad was an undercover narcotics police officer for several years (while I went through middle-high school) embedded in the biker gangs in the Southwest US in the late 80's and early 90's. A lot of it is/was BS and a lot wasn't. I can't speak to specific numbers, but there are a lot of organizations out there with varying levels of operational complexity. It wouldn't surprise me that there are a great number out there. Also, it's not like there aren't people in many of these organizations who are actively engaging in violent and terrorist acts. Some of the most violent and vocal are actually left wing groups. That isn't to say there aren't right wing groups that aren't a problem. It also doesn't help that people tend to lump them all together. I see a lot of those who are Libertarian or conservative speakers that get violently protested and lumped in with the extremists. It's really hard to have pragmatic and practical discussions these days when the majority are so closed minded on one side or another.
yardie 8y ago
Infiltrate? Quite a few are card carrying members.
- geezerjay 8y ago
  > Infiltrate? Quite a few are card carrying members. Do you believe no policeman was ever a card carrying member of a communist/socialist organization?
  - yardie 8y ago
    >Do you believe no policeman was ever a card carrying member of a communist/socialist organization? If they exist I haven't met them. I have met far more who have certain ideas on race, religion, and distrust of socialist. They aren't afraid to share with you how things were dealt with "back then."

Joeboy 8y ago

Yes (eg. C18 and the BNP), but going by this (incomplete and possibly misleading) list, not to nearly the same extent as left-wing groups. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-interactive/2018/oct/15/uk-political-groups-spied-on-undercover-police-list https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-interactive/2018/oct/... Edit: "Similarly dangerous" is a bit subjective (some people are terrified of socialism), but in terms of danger of actual violence perpetrated by members of the groups, I'd say the BNP and especially C18 were on a very different level from the left-wing groups on the list that I'm familiar with. But then I've personally received death threats from C18 so maybe I'm biased.

wmil 8y ago
There are a far fewer far right groups, so you can't really compare compare them by counting the number of infiltrated orgs. In general righties aren't big fans of decentralized organizations. At least in the US far right groups are infiltrated like crazy since FBI agents / informers don't look out of place in a room full of straight white males.
- forapurpose 8y ago
  > There are a far fewer far right groups Do you know of some empirical basis for that? Also, what about numbers of members?
  - tracker1 8y ago
    At varying levels there are government agents at any level of criminal activity undercover. My dad was an undercover narcotics police officer for several years (while I went through middle-high school) embedded in the biker gangs in the Southwest US in the late 80's and early 90's. A lot of it is/was BS and a lot wasn't. I can't speak to specific numbers, but there are a lot of organizations out there with varying levels of operational complexity. It wouldn't surprise me that there are a great number out there. Also, it's not like there aren't people in many of these organizations who are actively engaging in violent and terrorist acts. Some of the most violent and vocal are actually left wing groups. That isn't to say there aren't right wing groups that aren't a problem. It also doesn't help that people tend to lump them all together. I see a lot of those who are Libertarian or conservative speakers that get violently protested and lumped in with the extremists. It's really hard to have pragmatic and practical discussions these days when the majority are so closed minded on one side or another.

yardie 8y ago

Infiltrate? Quite a few are card carrying members.

geezerjay 8y ago
> Infiltrate? Quite a few are card carrying members. Do you believe no policeman was ever a card carrying member of a communist/socialist organization?
- yardie 8y ago
  >Do you believe no policeman was ever a card carrying member of a communist/socialist organization? If they exist I haven't met them. I have met far more who have certain ideas on race, religion, and distrust of socialist. They aren't afraid to share with you how things were dealt with "back then."