The violent protesters today did far more damage than broken windows and barrel fires.

[kstewart33]

The protesters in WDC who were violent and destructive did great harm today, harm to their and our cause.

The media descended on them like bees to honey.

Far too much coverage of their violence occurred as a result, taking the media and the nation's attention away from far more important news such as the actions that the Trump administration took in the minutes after he became president.

The protesters provided an affirmation of the false stereotype that Trump supporters have of anti-Trump activists. From the time that a protester smashed the first store or limousine window, their cause became a lost cause.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. How many of them were agents provocateurs?

[gratuitous]

4. I'll say all of them

Let's see the arrest records of those the cops brought in. I'm old enough to remember COINTELPRO.

[Lucinda]

15. Exactly. n/t

[Pisces]

2. Some looked and sounded like paid agitators!!

[Eliot Rosewater]

3. Yeah, of course had Hillary not been prevented from the WH by a clearly corrupt election

far far far more violence would have occurred.

Doesnt make it right, but just saying.

And some of them if not all were undercover agents or paid agitators, guaranteed.

[rzemanfl]

5. Look for $3,500.00 checks being cashed. n/t

[stonecutter357]

6. russian agitators ?

[BumRushDaShow]

7. Every major protest has anarchist Black Bloc

showing up.

For anyone on DU to go along with RW media perceptions that this somehow the fault of the many many groups who are out there protesting policies with their voices, signs, feet, and bodies, is a disgrace. It's ironic that when some city or college's team wins some championship and the towns/campuses/cities get trashed, there is little or no hand-wringing about that.

[TrekLuver]

8. Yes...I always bring up the point with the sports teams when needed. While I don't agree with the

violence let's be real that it's a small faction of people carrying this out and promoting it compared to the bigger picture that I hope will be made clear by tomorrow's turnout across the country.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. I stumbled on their website

and they filmed it clear as day as they tore through parts of the parade route. They costume dress so it is easy to pick them out from among other protesters.

[NCTraveler]

13. +1

And a group on the left always joins the chorus on the right about how bad the protesters are. Few on the right sold the Bundy shit stains down the river like some of our own will do to the overwhelming majority of the protesters.

[BumRushDaShow]

14. Exactly

To continually "accept blame" for the actions of others is very much a RW process designed to not only stereotype, demoralize and suppress dissent, but to deflect from their own behavior. It's the same process whereby they deem all black people responsible for the criminality of a few.

[NCTraveler]

16. Well stated. Thanks. Nt

[Warpy]

10. That's why they most likely weren't our people

Some of them were anarchists. Others were people who wanted free flat screen TVs. And likeliest of all, they were alt-right.

This false flag horse shit has been going on since peaceful protests started.

My advice to anyone peacefully protesting where shit starts: leave. Leave quickly, preferably down side streets. Reassemble elsewhere, away from the violent shit heads.

[NCTraveler]

11. I don't think so.

It's attached to Trumps innaguration. Bannon and crew will use anything. I have no fear of those little shits.

[treestar]

12. Large gatherings bring out a criminal element

that sees an opportunity to exploit. Why tar peaceful protestors over them? Don't go along with that unfairness.