Editing Agent provocateur (section)

==Common usage==
{{uncited section |date=May 2022}}
An {{lang |fr |agent provocateur}} may be a police officer or a secret agent of police who encourages suspects to carry out a crime under conditions where evidence can be obtained; or who suggests the commission of a crime to another, in hopes they will go along with the suggestion and be convicted of the crime.

A political organization or government may use {{lang |fr |agents provocateurs}} against political opponents. The {{lang |fr |provocateurs}} try to incite the opponent to do counter-productive or ineffective acts to foster public disdain or provide a pretext for the final assault against the opponent.

Historically, [[Labor spying in the United States|labor spies]], hired to infiltrate, monitor, disrupt, or subvert union activities, have used {{lang |fr |agent provocateur}} tactics.

{{lang |fr |Agent provocateur}} activities raise ethical and legal issues. In [[common law]] jurisdictions, the legal concept of [[entrapment]] may apply if the main impetus for the crime was the {{lang |fr |provocateur}}.