Legal Definitions - instigate

To instigate means to actively encourage, provoke, or persuade another person or group to begin a particular action or course of conduct, often one that is negative, harmful, or unlawful.

Here are some examples to illustrate this term:

• Example 1: Workplace Dispute
  During a tense meeting about new company policies, one employee stands up and loudly declares, "These rules are unfair! We should all refuse to work overtime until they change them!" and then turns to a colleague and says, "Don't you agree? Tell everyone to stand with us!"

  This illustrates instigation because the employee is actively encouraging and provoking their colleagues to take a specific collective action (refusing overtime) in defiance of company policy. They are not just expressing an opinion but are trying to start a movement.

• Example 2: Public Disturbance
  At a public protest that is otherwise peaceful, an individual begins shouting through a megaphone, "Let's break down the barricades! We need to make our voices heard directly inside the building!" and then starts pushing against a barrier while gesturing for others to join.

  Here, the individual is instigating a public disturbance by actively inciting the crowd to engage in a specific, potentially unlawful action (breaking barricades and entering a building) that could lead to disorder or property damage.

• Example 3: Online Harassment
  After a minor disagreement with a local restaurant owner, a social media influencer posts a message to their thousands of followers, stating, "This restaurant treated me terribly! Everyone should flood their review pages with one-star ratings and tell them exactly what you think!"

  This demonstrates instigation because the influencer is directly encouraging their followers to take a coordinated negative action (leaving bad reviews and sending critical messages) against the restaurant owner, potentially causing reputational and financial harm.