false flag
noun [ C ] uk/ˌfɒls ˈflæɡ/ us/ˌfɑːls ˈflæɡ/
(UK also false colours [ plural ]); (US also false colors [ plural ])（为了隐藏国籍所悬挂的）假旗，伪旗
a flag flown on a ship to hide which country it comes from or which side it is fighting for
The attacking ship was able to get close to the enemy by flying a false flag. 那艘进攻船只悬挂了一面伪旗，得以接近敌人。
They were sailing under false colours. 他们航行时挂着一面假旗。
（伪装身份、嫁祸他人的）伪旗行动
a political or military action that is made to appear to have been carried out by a group that is not actually responsible
He described the train bombings as "false flags". 他将火车爆炸事件描述为 "假旗行动"。
The burning of the building was believed to be a false flag operation by Nazis. 烧毁这座建筑被认为是纳粹分子的一次假旗行动。
（掩盖真实政治图谋的）幌子
something such as a political cause that is used to hide someone's true beliefs or the true reasons for their actions
He ran for office under a false flag of neutrality and reconciliation. 他打着中立与和解的幌子竞选公职。
- More examples
- They attacked and killed 120 people under a false flag of truce.
- They aim to discredit the movement with tactics such as false flags and agents provocateurs.
- Some of these bombings appear to have been false flag attacks, done in an attempt to polarise opinion.
- They had their lips pumped up, their bodies liposuctioned, and fake hair glued on, all under the false flag of female empowerment.