Thread by @gwensnyderPHL

I'll say again, there's an unusually strong grassroots component to this that I'm seeing directly, and it shouldn't be ignored or dismissed.

That doesn't mean folks shouldn't be very aware that propagandists and astroturfers are almost certainly bound up in this, too.

https://twitter.com/BySteveReilly/status/1491168971152044033

I am *very* tired of seeing 1/6 type stuff play out and then watching folks try and imagine like Russia or some secret far right institute masterminded the whole thing in a complex plot.

It ignores the chaos and lets the US participants and organizers off the hook.

What usually happens is that propagandists throw shit (like these Facebook groups) at the wall & see what sticks.

Then, astroturfers build on that theme and organize their contacts on the ground to pretend to be the new fresh-faced grassroots supposedly galvanized by the issue.

In Philly, I could give you a list of names of who those usual suspects are.

Rarely are there actually new faces, new folks galvanized by the latest issue.

That's not what it looks like with this.

There's still a clear inorganic propagandic push, but it's being met with genuine grassroots energy.

The astroturf networks will no doubt be present, but this isn't just them once again faking a new grassroots-led outrage.

The astroturfers will show, but this is already moving without them putting on the usual puppet show.

There is some genuine grassroots energy already there, without them needing to fake it.

Like, I'm watching people in the suburbs making offline meet-up plans.

That's... really bad.

And we can acknowledge that some shady shit is moving behind the scenes on this without saying "oh it's just the evil Russians again, not anyone from my neighborhood."

Folks, these really are our neighbors.

There really are a lot of people in the US eager to sign on and get involved on this copycat convoy stuff.

It's not just bots and Putin fronts moving this along. Not anymore.

We live in a white supremacist country, a lot of white supremacists are emboldened, and they really want a do-over on 1/6.

Putin didn't need to talk them into it.

They're just racist reactionaries itching for a fight.

They're excited about this, and even if it flops, it's a way for them to build relationships and connect.

Those are networks they will draw on in the future, whenever the next major fascist insurrection effort comes (and it likely will).

If it isn't clear, this is *worse* than some Putin distraction op, precisely because it has grassroots energy.

Disinfo networks are always trying ops, most of them never go anywhere or attract people outside of astroturf land.

This is different, and that is a bad thing.