So RPD Chief William Smith is back on his bullshit about "outside influences." Don't believe it. #RVAProtest #RVA #Thread 1/11
Back at now-almost-comical press conference on Sunday morning, both Stoney and Smith pointed to conspiracy from outside #RVA - "We have people from across the country who have traveled many states to be here. We know that this is an organized effort" 2/11 wtvr.com/news/local-new…
They said this in part to justify mass arrests. Smith claimed those detained were mostly looters from outside the city. But social media accounts (thanks, @RVAdirt !) made that claim laughable, as @RTDNEWS also reported
3/11
richmond.com/news/local/cri…
Smith also invoked Antifa, claiming that the city arrested "many members" according to a reporter. I'm going to hazard a guess that Smith actually had/has no idea if this is true or not
4/11
It's worth remembering: Antifa is not a membership organization, with letterhead and a receptionist. It's a loose collective of websites, social media accounts, and organizers/activists across the country - in some ways, more of an ethos than a group
5/11
pbs.org/newshour/natio…
Blaming #antifa helps align Smith with the national rightwing conspiratorial bent that Trump is also taking advantage of on the national level
6/11
nbcnews.com/think/opinion/…
Look, contentious politics are chaotic, with lots of different actors and orgs, all with different agendas, hopping on - there's no checkbox questionnaire to join a march or protest. Media coverage doesn't help, often highlighting most outlandish or ignorant participants
7/11
But the real problem is that blaming antifa invokes conspiratorial thinking and feeds authorities' justification for violence. "Demonizing the rioters... is the surest way to justify brutal state repression on the streets."
8/11
joelowndes.org/post/riotous-f…
Authorities promote the "outside agitator" narrative, and have for decades, because it lets them pretend they are not engaged in open warfare on their own citizens.
9/11
baltimoresun.com/opinion/editor…
So last night the Chief posted a Facebook video about the "challenges" facing police, and restated his concern that "outside influences come into town to destroy our city"
10/11
facebook.com/RichmondPolice…
Knowingly or not, he's still trying to justify the brutal repression aimed at citizens of Richmond and surrounding areas. Let's not let him get away with it. #RVAProtest #RVA
11/End
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