Ex-Boston police chief claims 'group outside the US' using George Floyd protests to 'destabilize our society'

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Former Boston police chief: Individuals are hijacking legitimate outrage

Former Boston Police Chief Daniel Linskey joins Bill Hemmer with insight on 'America's News HQ.'

Former Boston Police chief Daniel Linskey told "America's Election HQ" Saturday that a group "outside the U.S." is using the ongoing protests over George Floyd's death to "destabilize our society."

"When I was in Ferguson for [the Justice Department] or with the Obama administration after the [Michael] Brown shooting, we saw that there were terrorist groups, organizations in Pakistan and elsewhere who were setting up false Twitter accounts and setting, having... two sides with conversation, basically alienate each other going forward," Linskey told host Bill Hemmer.

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Linskey explained that most people, including most police officers, are "disgusted" by video showing Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin pressing his knee on George Floyd's neck as he begged the officer to let him up.

"There is need for legitimate protest," Linskey said. "No one's on the second side here. The police agree with the protesters that this was outrageous, this officer needs to be held accountable and others need to be held accountable.

"But now we have individuals who are hijacking what should be legitimate outrage over systemic issues of race in our society," Linskey said. "And they're using it to engage in violence for their own purposes."

The former Boston chief of police added that "organized groups ... are transporting individuals, are compensating individuals to be instigators in this.

And if you're following the social media ... there were definitely a group outside the U.S. who are using this as a way to destabilize our society."

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Linskey then explained to Hemmer how such "agitators" manipulate local protesters.

"So what the agitators do is they utilize others to be the front line. So they will get young women, young men in the community. They'll get them up at the front line with police officers. They'll stand back and they'll do, you know, throw firecrackers, throw explosive devices, throw projectiles. The police have to move forward against them. And they're engaging the people on the front line that are there for peaceful protest."