Anyone else smelling a rat relating to the LA demonstration violence?

[KY_EnviroGuy]

I keep having flashbacks of the violence and property damage during the Minneapolis George Floyd protests in 2020 and during some Black Lives Matter protests where right-wing thugs infiltrated the peaceful protesters.

Many of those wingnuts wore garb to conceal their identity and even used umbrellas to hide from security cameras. Some carried hammers to break out storefront windows, while others were later proven to have been provocateurs organized via right-wing web sites who stirred anger among protesters.

See: https://abcnews.go.com/US/man-helped-ignite-george-floyd-riots-identified-white/story?id=72051536

and: https://www.yahoo.com/news/far-extremist-shot-minneapolis-police-184300735.html

Yes, this is the GOP we're dealing with today and it's been proven to be violent many, many times before. I also have no doubt Russia and other international actors are helping to stoke this violence through provocations on social media.

KY

[TommyT139]

1. Most common advice I've seen...

....has been "[wear] garb to conceal [your] identity and...[use] umbrellas to hide from security cameras."

Also on the list is to consider whether or not to bring your usual phone, and if so, lock it with a passcode, not just face or fingerprint. You cannot be compelled to give your password without a warrant, but cops can use your biometrics against you, as it were.

And this is good news: people are getting savvy about how even local police are using facial recognition to track who is at a protest. In Atlanta, the abuses surrounding "Cop City" show how bad it can get, and that wasn't even explicitly trumpian.

Using the fact that reasonable people disguise themselves as if it's evidence of them being plants or false flag operators does a disservice to those of us who wish to retain as much privacy and freedom as we can in these times.

That generalization will also make it harder to discuss tactics and keeping protests non-violent, with those protesters who are open to that.

Do outside instigators exist? Of course. (Remember: every accusation from trumpists is a confession.) But it's not about clothes or umbrellas, and it's not even always about rage in the face of fascism.

[malaise]

2. One rat?

This is a mischief of smelling rats

[HeartsCanHope]

3. My family had a discussion last night about this.

We all agreed that this corrupt administration could and would do ANYTHING EVIL. It's all about whatever the crazed felon wants in the moment. There's no 4d chess game--it's all about whatever ridiculous idea Trump comes up with. What's mind-boggling to me is how many people are willing to go along with him! You'd think they'd realize by now that nothing good comes from aligning themselves with Trump. I know they aren't the brightest, but you'd think they'd have some semblance of self-preservation!

[RVN VET71]

11. The Marching Morons of MAGA believe they are submitting to Trump's protecting aura

Of the 77,000,000 who voted for the president (I just threw up in my mouth writing that word with reference to the orange codger from Mas-a-Lago) how many millions would happily leap off the lemming-cliff for him, convinced that he would suspend gravity, but only for them?

It's frightening to think of the answer.

And now the fascist machine is putting marines on alert. The damned hammer has been raised, and America is still half asleep beneath it. I am terrified to think (realize?) that it is too late to keep it from crushing every cherished belief the flag once represented.

I'm an 80-year-old veteran of the rape of Vietnam so I know the ugly side of my country firsthand. But my nation survived even that (undeclared) war and was able to patch itself up and move forward. We shunned the system that enabled that war and elected an honest man, Jimmy Carter, to lead us. One step forward. Then we elected Ronald Reagan. One step backward. Then Bill Clinton: two steps forward. Then caved to the fascists and saw our SCOTUS elect Bush Jr. Three steps back. But then Obama! Three steps forward. Then a certifiable demented moron. Two steps back. Then, god dammit, Joe Biden -- and the path to a democratic and compassionate future was assured until . . .well, 2024 and the country fell and is still falling down a well of darlkness.

I'm an 80 year old man and I am scared to death of tomorrow, what new assurance Trump will give the Marching Morons that all the people they have been conditioned to hate will be crushed under his boot. And they will cheer it on; Americans will cheer it on. People born and raised in this country, people who prospered under its governmental liberalism that created the most enlightened and powerful economy in the world, will cheer it on.

The insanity, the suicidal insanity is almost too much for an old man to bear.

The election in 2026 will determine whether America continues, and I am sick at heart with worry.

I apologize for the rant. But I just beat my grandson in 2 out of 5 races in MarioKart and had more fun losing to the little guy (he's 7) than if I'd won the bloated lottery! Still, even at that sweet moment, my mind was clouded by the events of the day and the seemingly successful assault by Trump and his worthless minions on everything I loved about life in America. I am truly and viscerally afraid for my grandson's future.


But there I go. Ranting again.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

19. It's a righteous rant you have there.

At 77, not looking forward to three more years of this insane shit. Remember when we were foolish enough to think it couldn't get any worse than Nixon/Agnew?

Fighting depression, arthritis, and an extremely tight budget, the GOP is not helping my retirement and mood. That's not how politics is supposed to work. I'm finding some peace in music, my flower garden and repairing anything that's broken for friends and family.

Thank you for your service in 'Nam..... I barely missed being drafted by virtue of the lottery in '69 but many of my class of '65 classmates were not so lucky. I hope the VA is treating you OK.

Love your story about your grandson. Just got to witness my granddaughter's HS graduation with great joy but I worry about what her future will hold, even with her excellent grades.

Peace!........

[LymphocyteLover]

15. It's not just him coming up with evil ideas. He has a whole administration of fascist creeps

who no doubt feed him all sorts of evil thoughts. I really doubt he comes up with all this stuff on his own. Not that he isn't evil, but I don't think he's that smart or strategic.

[Montauk6]

4. I put nothing past these thugs

[Emile]

5. Remembering when magats blamed Antifa for Jan 6th.

[malaise]

7. And then their dear leader pardoned all the participants

Funny how little coverage this gets

[IronLionZion]

16. Projecting

Every accusation is a confession

[orangecrush]

6. Ever since the 1960's

It's been the same playbook.

COINTELPRO.

[Liberal In Texas]

8. During the BLM protests we KNOW the right was responsible for inciting, looting and burning.

No reason to think they're not doing this now.
Remember Umbrella Man? A provocateur belonging to the Aryan Cowboy Brotherhood. That one was IDed. Probably many more did their work and disappeared.
https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/07/28/896515022/minneapolis-police-reportedly-identify-viral-umbrella-man-as-white-supremacist

[markodochartaigh]

9. What a coincidence that those self-driving

Waymos owned by the reich-wing techbros should happen to drive right into areas where arsonists were waiting.

[cadoman]

10. I smell a rat but how does it square with the "no masks" attacks?

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5339013-trump-says-protesters-will-not-be-allowed-to-wear-masks/

If he knows his people are there, and that they are wearing garb and using umbrellas to hide their identity, why is he pushing to ban masks during protests? Wouldn't that make it easier to track them? What is Krasnov's angle? Simple reverse psychology, or is the operation he's using more nuanced than having MAGATs stir up trouble with their umbrellas?

And yes it could just be Cointelpro 2.0, but again, how does it square with no masks? Maybe use "no masks" to harass the real protestors and ignore the violent ones because they're "exempt"? We may have seen that in action with the J6 bomber...who for some reason is impossible to find??

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COINTELPRO

[Tetrachloride]

12. rats were there

[Lonestarblue]

13. Trump is looking for an excuse to declare martial law so he can become a total dictator.

[onenote]

14. People are angry. Folks here have been calling for people to take to the streets.

So, no, I don't smell a rat. I see the inevitable consequence of Trump's cruelty.

[ecstatic]

17. Yes, this is the MO of US law enforcement /white supremacists

who work hand in hand to suppress uprisings and keep certain people in their place.

During black protests, they instigate looting and/or killing a cop if things get really bad.

In the recent LA protests, they appear to be waving Mexican flags?

The American people are gullible, easily distracted and lack critical thinking skills, which allows the exact same tactics to be used time and time again without question.

Edit to clarify: I'm not suggesting the entire protest is fake, just that they inject disruptors into protests.

[tinrobot]

18. My wife was there. At least some of the damage was by kids on bikes.

There's a subculture of kids here that ride big BMX bikes in large groups. They take over streets and sometimes break things or get violent.

She said there were a few of those types beating on cars. Not out of character for that subculture.

For reference:
https://www.jalopnik.com/1800695/los-angeles-bicycle-teens-attacking-drivers/

[yellow dahlia]

20. Yes. And it was Boogaloo Bois who burned down the Minneapolis police station.

I asked the same question last night. All of a sudden it seemed like some of the protestors were "in uniform".

There's an agenda.