Resource Type: Research & Articles

Referencing foreign backing of protest activity can influence public opinion on the protest issue. This research finds that public accusations of foreign meddling damage protest groups by reducing public support. In surveys conducted in the United States and Canada, this research finds that credible accusations of foreign interference erode support by discrediting protester groups among sympathizers and inflaming nationalist fears. Indeed, such accusations delegitimize protest movements even among those sympathetic to the cause. Conditional factors, such as the type of foreign assistance or the identity of the meddling state, have no impact.