agent provocateur
/ˌaʒɒ̃ prəˌvɒkəˈtəː
/ /aʒɑ̃ pʀɔvɔkatøʀ/noun (plural agents provocateurs pronounced same)
A person employed to induce others to break the law so that they can be convicted.A year later, four were hanged, even as evidence emerged revealing that the bomb may have been thrown by an agent provocateur in the employ of the police....
- These agents provocateurs broke windows and carried out other acts of violence before turning on the other demonstrators, firing their weapons and making arrests.
- It employed agents provocateurs to lure people into unwise utterances.
Origin
Late 19th century: French, literally 'provocative agent'.