Thom Hartmann: Were the San Francisco Vandals Paid Provocateurs?

[thomhartmann]

On a massive day of action like this - there's always a debate over what sort of tactics should be used to advance the movement forward. And although the Occupy Movement has prided itself primarily as a peaceful movement - there are elements within it that have endorsed more destructive tactics. Last night - on the eve of May Day - a group of 50 protestors took to the streets in San Francisco armed with crow bars - splattering paint on buildings, breaking storefront and car windows - and even lighting an SUV on fire. The local occupy movement condemned the vandalism - but it's not the first time that such a tactic has been employed in the background of peaceful occupy rallies. Joshua Holland, Alternet, joins Thom Hartman from Oakland - the site of some of the most tumultuous encounters between the Occupy movement and police.

The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann on RT TV & FSTV "live" 9pm and 11pm check www.thomhartmann.com/tv for local listings

[freshwest]

1. Thanks for video, it agrees with detailed account posted here yesterday:

Eyewitness account from an SF Occupier to last nights vandalism (and he's not happy)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1252&pid=2465

[starroute]

2. So now these vandals are tarring the good name of the Black Bloc?

I actually find that amusing -- in a grimly ironic kind of a way.

http://blog.alexanderhiggins.com/2012/05/01/ows-day-general-strike-violence-reported-osf-128051/

People directly involved with Occupy San Fransisco say something fishy is going on. They describe the vandalists as to clean cut and too “different” to be Black Bloc while saying the people are new and have no relation to Occupy San Francisco. The tell tale sign is the vandals are smashing private property and mom and pop stores while Black Bloc targets state property and big corporations.

[sabrina 1]

3. Good point about what they are targeting, almost as if it were designed to anger the community.

[starroute]

4. This isn't even provocateurs -- it looks like a classic false flag operation

Provocateurs incite people to do stupid things. False flag operations do the stuff that's so stupid no one would do it even if incited.

In this case, I vote for #2.

[sabrina 1]

5. Yes, I agree. Doing it themselves to make sure it's 'done right'.

And even though we know it was not Occupy, the news coverage shows it then shows the peaceful protesters, but to the viewers who have not been following closely, it's 'those violent protesters again'. Perception is everything.