New protests coincide with CCP’s intensified persecution campaign against religious group Falun Gong.
NEW YORK CITY—Tactics used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to influence public perception in the United States appear to be evolving.
In the past, groups of Chinese individuals were often observed arriving by bus, waving red communist party flags, and positioning themselves to counter human rights protests, particularly those by Falun Gong practitioners, a group persecuted in China.
More recently, are instances in which small groups, including non-Chinese individuals, have participated in protests that appear to align with CCP narratives, based on their signage and materials, The Epoch Times has documented.
These activities have raised concerns among some observers about foreign influence operations in the United States.
On May 9, a small group of fewer than 10 individuals, primarily non-Chinese, was observed near a human rights parade organized by Falun Gong practitioners in New York City .
The group held banners and distributed materials that appeared to echo the anti-Falun Gong propaganda found in Chinese state media. The materials were written in English, and while a Chinese man was seen filming the group, his role remains unclear.
An Epoch Times freelancer reported overhearing a police officer ask one protester, a black man, if he was paid to participate. The man responded, “$200,” a figure the officer repeated, then turning to colleagues to say, “I told you they were paid.” The Epoch Times has not independently verified this payment or its source.
In other instances, three individuals involved in similar protests—one Hispanic, one black, and one Chinese—stated they participated for financial reasons. The Hispanic individual described the activity as “work,” while the others mentioned needing the money, according to interviews conducted by The Epoch Times.
Sarah Cook, a China researcher who has studied influence operations, expressed concern about the involvement of Americans in activities that may align with CCP objectives, potentially without full awareness of the context.
The purpose of using non-Chinese people makes it seem like it’s authentic and it’s grassroots,” she told The Epoch Times.
“People are going to pay more attention.”
