MSNBC just said 40% of arrested Uni "protesters" weren't even students

[lindysalsagal]

As I suspected. Many students were sincerely trying to support innocents in Gaza. But nefarious outsiders quickly used them for political gain.

I've attended protests for years. I always find a way out when it gets ugly. Thankfully, the vast majority of police have protected us and our right to assemble.

But the police weren't allowed on these campuses and so couldn't keep it peaceful. The outsiders took advantage of that.

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

[jimfields33]

1. 60 percent were which is a pretty healthy majority of protesters.

It will all be sorted out over time.

[gulliver]

28. Not if the 60% were "poor lost sheep" being used by committed instigators.

That's a strong possibility when we see the kinds of people involved (youthful, smarty-pants, passionate, rebellious, angry), hear what they have to say, read their signs, and observe their actions. Lost numbskulls being led into evil acts by crazy, evil numbskull outsiders...

[ripcord]

2. The students were happy to have the outside support

I can see the efforts starting to excuse the students behavior.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

8. The student protestors I saw interviewed were clear the racism wasn't their message.

They made it clear they were protesting support of genocide.

What do you want them to do, beat up the racists that coming in?

[ripcord]

11. People with morals would have walked away from overt anti-semitism

They are all adults and should be mature enough to accept the responsibility of their actions.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

21. So the easiest way to shut down a protest

is to just yell things they don't agree with?

They are there for a purpose. They were solid on that purpose. What others do is on them. We are smart enough to recognize the different between the positions of "stop genocide" and "I'm a racist." Well, we should be.

[ripcord]

24. Like I said it comes down to morals

I would have no problem walking away from a group that was being anti-semitic or racist because it is the right thing to do.

[TeamProg]

39. We've had this conversation before. IT IS NOT ANTI-SEMETIC TO PROTEST THE POLITICAL POLICIES OF

the NATION OF ISRAEL.

These are not the Crusades. It's land theft, clear and simple.

What's so hard to get?

[ripcord]

40. But there was anti-semitism coming from the protests

If you don't have enough character to object to that behavior or walk away don't blame others for thinking you support it.

[TeamProg]

44. That's not how honor works. You stay and go forward with your own voice. Racists be damned.

[ripcord]

48. Most people would object to anti-semitism

But I didn't see even one instance of that, I did see students engage in anti-semitism though. People are now acting like these college student were middle school students who were mislead rather than the adults they are.

[TeamProg]

58. People choose what they choose to see.

[ProfessorPlum]

99. " I did see students engage in anti-semitism though." do tell

or is this like Trump "seeing that the election was stolen". As far as I can tell, all of these accusations of antisemitism from the protests are simply that, accusations.

[TeamProg]

41. This is not going well. History will not be kind to Israel. That history is in making right now in the global media,

including plenty of U.S. media.

More and more will come out about the land invasions of the "settlers" and the bulldozing of Gazan's and West Bank homes.
And about how Netanyahu supported Hamas in his policies vs. Abbas.

Neither Bebe nor Hamas want a two-state solution, Abbas did/does.

Let the Time Of Israel spell it out for you.


https://www.timesofisrael.com/for-years-netanyahu-propped-up-hamas-now-its-blown-up-in-our-faces/

[ripcord]

45. So Israel's behavior made these people anti-semitic?

This just keeps getting more ridiculous.

[TeamProg]

54. After this invasion cools down enough for the facts to come out, I think it will be evident that the people of Gaza and

the West Bank have been the victims of decades of oppression.

I'm expecting that there will be varying opinions, and in my opinion, some will keep playing the victim card but the rest of the world won't see it that way.

I really wish the U.S. was not involved in this genocide.

[Cha]

95. It's NOT "Genocide" and Fuck those fucking Protestes that are Scremain g"Genocide Joe"..

Netanyahu wants Biden Gone and they are Assisting Netanyahu .

[TeamProg]

100. It is Netanyahu's genocide, or as U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders called it, "ethnic cleansing", not Joe Biden's. The

protesters are bringing attention to the massive destruction of Gaza, but the protesters aren't influencing any voters to go with Muslim hater DJT.

I will say that the 'tune' seems to have changed recently, before it was "Hamas, Hamas, Hamas!" now it's the "Rise of Anti-Semitism", and without the slightest admission of accountability for the overwhelming death and destruction of Gaza, not one iota.

The world is watching.

[Cha]

101. Fuck the "Genocide Joe" Screamers.. Assholes Are Lying.

[snot]

86. I'm afraid that's a distinct possibility,

right or wrong.

Not saying it accounts for all anti-semitism; but I'd bet that a whole lot of people who'd never previously questioned the rightness of Israel and its actions before are now looking at what's happening in Gaza, and I personally find it hard to see that and not feel horrified.

[sarisataka]

89. Could you clarify, it seems

you are saying at least some antisemitism may be justified by Israel's actions

[snot]

90. Nope; sorry if I gave that impression.

I don't believe racisim of any kind is ever justified. But I do believe it would be unrealistic not to expect an increase in anti-semitism given the scale of destruction in Gaza.

[Think. Again.]

56. Yep, and there's no turning back for Israel now...

....the children killed by IDF are dead.

[jimfields33]

61. When they heard the vast amount of antisemitic rhetoric, they all at least should have booed loudly.

It’s been done in scores of protests, speeches and other opportunities. They stood there listening to it. Is that cool?

[live love laugh]

37. How do you know the students were happy?

[ripcord]

42. None of them reported these people and their behavior

Nor did they make any effort to separate themselves from that behavior. Trying to portray the protesters are innocent dupes is absurd.

[FHRRK]

62. Watching the UCLA protest on local news the other night

NBC affiliate basically stayed with the chaos for the entire program.

Pro Palestine protesters were behind barricades. Pro Israel protesters were at least 50 yards away.

In the area between was where the chaos occurred, people running up and ripping down barricades, fighting, shooting fireworks into the encampment.

Now I saw those creating havoc as agent provocateurs. Flipping your logic, you state the protesters were at fault for not handling the situation, in this case that would be the Pro Israel counter protesters.

The two resources interviewed, Pro Israel, clearly stated, “we don’t know who these people are” in reference to those causing chaos.

So, I think your entire premise is BS, the fault seems to lie with those creating the havoc.

[ripcord]

65. So you have no problem with the protester blocking Jewish students?

[FHRRK]

70. Ok you opened yourself up

1. Never stated that
2. It was 11PM at night, no one was going to class.
3. I did see a kid being blocked on the previous day. Kid handled it well and tried to peacefully pass but was blocked. The Palestinian protesters were wrong.

So, you have no problem with Bibi/Isreal actions in Gaza?

[ripcord]

72. So if you don't support the protesters you support genocide?

[FHRRK]

80. Again

That was not the question asked. You tried to turn my original statement into something it wasn’t.

Even with that, I honestly answered your question and responded in kind with a bullshit accusation/question.

You did not respond in kind, just a bs accusation/assumption.

So, no need to go on any further.

People see what they want to see and disregard the rest.

I called out a poster yesterday who claimed it was pro Israel protesters lobbing the fireworks. Absolutely no evidence and my belief is those protesters did not support the chaos.

Have a great day.

[ripcord]

82. I guess it was someone else who asked

'So, you have no problem with Bibi/Isreal actions in Gaza?"

[JT45242]

3. I thought and posted that once the protest got more militant that it would be at least 1/3 not college affiliate

We saw it with BLM. Happened in the 60s.

Often, when things go from exercising free speech rights to more aggressive and violent forms, then you are looking at outsiders.

Great way for Russia, Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, or other enemies/frenemies to sow dissent and push TFG ahead.

Notice schools where students demanded doable things like disclosing investments and having open votes about divesting from some investments that they got results. It was in many ways the divestment of American and European investments that pushed the end of apartheid.

[underpants]

4. What difference does that make other than feeding conspiracy theories?

Someone puts on a protest/demonstration and like minded people show up. Granted with large crowds you also have people who show up for other reasons.

There were 13 arrests at the protest at VCU this week. 6 were students and the others were not. So what?

[hlthe2b]

6. It makes a whole hell of a lot of difference. Think about it. See my post below.

[hlthe2b]

5. A handful have absolutely excoriated those who suggest that there might be outsiders fomenting

other motivations and objectives and perhaps, tactics not consistent with respectful nonviolent civil protest. Yet a few months ago, there was some posted evidence that RW extremists (and potentially other extremist groups) were communicating about infiltrating to cause problems and to hurt/divide Democrats. There are few groups more antisemitic than Proud Boys and their ilk so I could not understand why it was so hard for a few to believe this, but rather to choose to believe that the students who reacted to the change in tactics and strategies weeks into the war in Gaza-- that then began to disregard civilian Gazan lives-- were expressing nothing but hate toward Israel, Jews, or worse, support for Hamas. Did we ultimately see this in some cases? Yes. But I don't believe it was absent the outside agitators that began to splinter the university protest groups into disparate factions.

Like all issues re: Israel/Palestine, these demonstrations, protests, and incidents on the university campuses are complex. We do no one any favors-- and can hope for no answers or solutions-- in trying to make them so dichotomous--so black and white.

[Sympthsical]

15. And RWers claim Antifa was behind J6

It's not a good look when the conspiracies start.

A hard Left exists in this country that is illiberal, antisemitic, authoritarian, and happy to cause chaos at protests. I live in the Bay Area. I've watched them for years. Black Bloc, By Any Means Necessary, Antifa - the list goes on and on. Start up a cause, and they drop on in and shit starts.

It started on October 8th. And people have been pointing it out and pointing it out and pointing it out that there is a hard Left antisemitic component in this that served to draw in others of like mind.

And your "Ah ha!" moment is "I knew it. It was all the Proud Boys!"

Well, that's selective myopia to serve political purpose. That is the most wishful of thinking. It's not an observation of objective reality that has existed for years capable of viewing for those willing to view it.

There is a real problem with illiberalism on the hard Left. And you know what they're doing right now in their spaces? They're trying to explain to everyone why they shouldn't vote Democratic in the fall. And people's solution to that is to ignore it and run cover for it? How do people think that is going to go?

Willfully not seeing it - willing oneself to find any possible explanation other than the obvious one - is dangerous. Ostriches fare far less well in hurricanes that they think they will.

[hlthe2b]

18. There is intense proof about Jan6. It remains to be seen about these scores of university protests.

I'm not willfully refusing to see ANYTHING. SHAME ON YOU for even suggesting that. SHAME ON YOU! You've long been a favorite of mine on this site but your lack of respectful debate and personal attacks right now is despicable. Good DAY and SHAME ON YOU!

[Sympthsical]

22. There's video for days

I don't feel shame about truthful things. Not even when caps are involved.

And I'm about totally done with people bending so far backwards you can hear the spines cracking to explain away antisemitism. Totally spent on tolerating it or watching people contort themselves to find excuses to steer away from the blazingly obvious, documented, and rather well-advertised illiberalism that I've literally been watching as long as I've been politically conscious.

There's the water. Drink or not. People make their choices.

[TheProle]

83. Great post! Thank you.

[Voltaire2]

7. so what?

[FakeNoose]

9. Of course not - these protests are being organized by outside agitators

I'm sure the police can tell the difference.

[obamanut2012]

26. "outside agitators"

Oh boy

[Hekate]

75. For those of us who remember other times, it is indeed a cringe-worthy phrase

We need to find another more now-focused ways of putting the situation…

[lark]

10. Yeah I find the outsiders part very interesting.

I think some of them could be paid agitators to create violence and made Biden look bad.

[Mysterian]

12. The tiki torch crowd, no doubt

No surpise here.

[Paladin]

13. Unsurprising. (nt)

[Ping Tung]

14. The police aren't students either.

People go to anti-war demonstrations wherever they are.
This "outside agitator" canard was very common throughout the civil rights and anti-war period.

[getagrip_already]

17. Canard? Hardly when spewing hate, death, rape, genocide

What do you call it when they openly advocate the destruction of a country and the killing of its people?

Isn't that what they are supposed to be protesting?

Yet that is what they, the outside agitators, are openly calling for in the destruction of Israel and the murder of jews. Openly.

Hardly a canard.

[Ping Tung]

23. I call them idiots shooting their mouths off for attention

What do you call cops arresting peaceful protesters exercising their rights of freedom of speech and assembly?

Isn't the IDF destroying a country and killing people? What's the body count now? 35000? That's what the mythological "outsiders" and students are protesting.

[getagrip_already]

27. Peaceful? Hardly

Peaceful isn't destroying property and kidnapping workers.

And hate speach, blocking students and yelling in their faces isn't Peaceful.

Strange justification.

An eye for an eye? That is peace?

[Ping Tung]

34. Were the cops being peaceful when arresting protesters? Will most of those go on trial?

Or, did they just arrest protesters randomly whether students, "outside agitators, or criminals.

From what I've seen the cops are the most violent of "outside agitators" on campus. Who's going to arrest them?

[Happy Hoosier]

60. I think this is a nonsensoical argument.

An institution with a specific mission, like a university, especially a PRIVATE university, has an interest in preserving that mission for the paying students.

Universities should certainly respect the 1st Amendment rights of its students, faculty, and staff, so long as that exercise is not unduly imposing on those who just wanna finish the semester. Encampments, and cutting off transit routes not for hours, but for days or weeks at a time is undue imposition.

And people NOT affiliated with the university have no expectation of free access to the university if they are going to impede its mission.

The whole argument that the mean ole police are hippy-clubbing peace-loving students just falls apart. These non-students are attempting to undermine support for Biden and the democrats, IMO. Fuck 'em.

[Rebl2]

68. Agreed

[Ping Tung]

69. Correciton: The protesters are trying to stop the slaughter of civilians in Gaza.

They're trying to get Biden to stop supplying arms to Israel. Nancy Pelosi, Bernie Sanders, and other progressive pols and citizens are doing the same.

Are the 'Outside Agitator" cops doing the same? They sure as hell aren't on campuses to protect freedom of speech or assembly.

[Happy Hoosier]

73. With all due respect...

... I think their tactics suck.

The US is not prosecuting the war in Gaza. That war is being fought between Israel and Hamas.

If these folks want the fighting to stop, they should be calling for Hamas to accpet the ceasefire proposal immediately. But they don't.

The cops are not outside agitators here. There are certainly asshole cops (plenty of them), but once again, it is LONG established that what some of these students are engaged in is crossing the line and is no longer "freedom of speech or assembly). Lots of caselaw here.... long term encampments are not protected speech.

[Ping Tung]

79. I hope both Hamas and Israel come to an acceptable cease fire agreement and long term armistice.

The US is not prosecuting the war in Gaza. That war is being fought between Israel and Hamas.

The US is supplying the arms that kill civilians, destroy schools hospitals, homes, and whatever else they target. And that's what the protesters and many other ordinary citizens like me want to stop.

When I was protesting for civil rights and participating in anti-war demos, I went to where the protests were. Sometimes to other campuses. It's the same now. The "outside agitator" bogeyman is just that. It's insulting to think that students and citizens can't think for themselves and decide which side to be on.

I'm on the side of the protesters despite the very small minority who advocate violence.

[Happy Hoosier]

81. Good for you. I hope you'll enjoy the second Trump Presidency.

I swear, some folks can't see the forest for the trees....

[Ping Tung]

84. I'm voting for Biden and I believe most of the protesters will also.

And, I think Biden will win easily.

[Happy Hoosier]

88. If you think this isn't causing damage....

... I think you're not paying attention.

But I'm glad you are committed to doing the right, thing.

We can't afford to lose any votes in the fight against fascism.

[Ping Tung]

93. Do you think that Biden will win?

Do you think he enhance his chances of winning if he follows the urging of the protesters and some progressives like Bernie Sanders and Nancy Pelosi to stop supplying arms to Israel?

I think it would be a wash. He'd gain some peacenik votes and lose some prowar votes.

And, he'd still beat the snot out of Trump.

[sarisataka]

16. "police weren't allowed on these campuses and so couldn't keep it peaceful"

Have you forgotten all of the posts opposing allowing police on campus.

It can't be both ways, to say 'we don't want police here, our protests are peaceful' and 'why weren't police here to stop outsiders'. If police were restricting access there would have been an Everest high mountain of posts decrying the interference with free speech.

When it became ugly at protest you left. Perhaps those wanting to peacefully protest should have done the same. After the agitators are removed, those wanting to peacefully protest can return.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

35. I've seen a lot of dialogue on X/Blue Sky/Threads from pro-protester accounts...

That the cops were using "outside agitators" as an excuse to crack down on the protesters. Which confuses me - are they saying there weren't outside agitators? If that's the case, then who is responsible for taking over Hamilton Hall? Who is responsible for beating the Jewish girl at UCLA?

[Sympthsical]

47. It feels like a bad comedy routine at this point

We need trigger warnings, safe spaces, and the right to shut down any speakers we don't like, but trespassing, vandalism, and shouting at Jews is the truest form of the First Amendment. Police should be nowhere near these protests, so they are responsible for not being there when anything happens. The motives of protestors is the purest moral form of ethical speech, unless you don't like it, in which case it was all outsiders who want to *checks* globalize the Intifada.

I get that it's a simple human penchant for, "Whichever argument I need in the moment works." But if you're the kind of person whose short term and long term memories actually function in tandem correctly, you're constantly thinking, "Wait, didn't you just say . . ."

Were the protests good or bad? I'm not even sure the people defending everything know anymore. Because we're told they're super double plus good, but as soon as outsiders are ID'ed they pivot to saying how they knew everything bad was outsiders - the bad stuff they were denying was even happening right on up until that disclosure they realized they could pin it on.

I'd say people need to pick a lane, but I'm not even sure there's a road here.

[sarisataka]

59. It reminds me of the old cartoons

where the characters are being chased in a hall full of doors, running in and out faster and faster until there is no relation between the door one goes in vs which one they come out. Eventually there is no difference between the chaser and the chasee.

[Prairie Gates]

19. How old was Abbie Hoffman in 1968?

I'll wait.

[patphil]

30. He was born on November 30th, 1936.

That would make him at least 31 for most of the year 1968.

[kch22]

36. .

[quickesst]

20. As far as...

...the outside agitators are concerned, not a single one of them I suspect, would be protesting if not for the fact that the opportunity arose because of the student protest. They would instead be searching for another opportunity to sow unrest as long as it produced the chaos they seek. I have no sympathy for these people, nor do I have any sympathy for those who fail to recognize the obvious, in particular, the students themselves. There will be opportunities for those defending these outside agitators to do so again, but it will be for a completely different cause, and the goal will be the same. Violence and chaos.

[Jirel]

49. "Outside agitators," really?

Time to detox from the conservative news media message.

The students know who is who, and what is what. Nobody is being “fooled” or “used.” Outside individuals and groups are welcomed, as long as their message and goals are compatible. Indeed, non-university allies are often invited to support. It does not work to paint the students as anything but competent folks for many of whom this is NOT their first rodeo.

Rather than parroting these stupid right wing claims, you might want to consider attending a campus protest you support, and getting involved, and LEARNING something about how it all works. I have done extensive legal and support work for multiple movements, from anti-RNC protests, to rolling campus protests like these, to Occupy. The sheer amount of ignorance that is now being spouted about how this works, or how people wrongly believe it “should” work is astounding, and it’s mostly talking points of the worst fascist propaganda outlets.

[Hekate]

78. "The students know who is who" -- I doubt it. They don't have the experience, yet...

… of keeping tabs on the message and who is conveying it and how. Some old-timers have that hard won experience, but who will ask or listen, or even just read Starhawk on knowing your affinity group?

[quickesst]

97. Yeah, right

"Outside individuals and groups are welcomed, as long as their message and goals are compatible." Exactly. 😏

[obamanut2012]

53. "outside agitators" -- It is shocking to see DUers use this phrase

[Voltaire2]

71. Its lost its shock value.

[quickesst]

98. What is shocking

.. is so many DUers being as gullible as they are.

[GregariousGroundhog]

25. Calling 40% of them nefarious outsiders using them for political gain is a pretty broad brush

There's a difference between a 19 year old student inviting their former buddies from highschool to join them and someone without any connections showing up uninvited with the exprss purpose of stirring up discontent. I suspect there are many of the former and only a handful of the latter.

[gulliver]

29. The outsider Iago hypothesis looks strong when we consider...

...the actions, words, and signs of the protesters. They all stink to high heaven. A miasma of lost, helpless resentment sprayed with a little "compassion Febreze."

[TheRickles]

31. Has any info come in yet about these outsiders, whether they have any characteristics in common?

[obamanut2012]

51. Yes, most were other local students at other NY univesrities and colleges

With some faculty tossed in.

People believing the NYPD and NYT are hysterical, and even worse are DUers using the term "outside agitator." It literally is an authoritarian/Fascist buzzword. It is disappointing they are following the RW messaging on this.

[TheRickles]

77. Thanks, good to know. And it figures, unfortunately.

[grumpyduck]

32. The same thing happened during the Vietnam war.

"Student protestors" who weren't students. I remember it well.

[Blue_Adept]

33. It turns out most of the other 40% were actually from other related universities

it still baffles me that people take what the NYPD is reporting as gospel

?w=800&h=1211

[sarisataka]

38. It is so confusing- they are outsiders, no they are students,

no it was only students, but some were from other universities, there were RW infiltrators, no there weren't.... It seems every post is contradicted by the next post.

It is too much for a simple person like myself to sort out; I need to simplify. If you are a protester and are standing next to a person in Nazi garb I will assume you support the Nazi even if you are not shouting "Sieg Heil". If you are holding a Free Palestine sign while standing next to a person shouting hatred of Jews, I will assume you are also an antisemite.

All are cases of free speech, I do not object to everyone's right to speak what they stand for. However, I am also free to judge by who you are willing to associate with.

[IronLionZion]

50. Some police forces like to use the kettling approach

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

They'll just arrest everyone in the area, no matter what you're doing or what your agenda is.

[sarisataka]

52. Did you reply to the correct post?

[IronLionZion]

55. There are people in the area with varying agendas

so I get why you would assume that anyone in the vicinity of hateful bigots might also be a hateful bigot but that has it's own problems. Like when a Jew and a Nazi have to share a jail cell.

[sarisataka]

57. Well that's comparing apple to coconuts

And totally ingores the point I am making.

[AZSkiffyGeek]

64. It's interesting how that "11 people at a table with 1 Nazi equals 12 Nazis" meme

Doesn't seem to apply to antisemites at Pro-Palestine protests.

[Cha]

96. TY for that.. I wish I had the original link so I can pass it on.

[Jirel]

43. Oh FFS.

You clearly have NO concept of how protests work. This is par for the course. University protests are never limited to students only. Many local activists join in rather than creating “their own” protests elsewhere. In many situations, student groups INVITE non-student allies, whether individuals or groups, to come support.

There is nothing nefarious going on here. Those who take this as abnormal or proof of manipulation have been poisoned by the Faux News message, which even outlets like MSNBC have picked up because their staff is so far removed from protest and its norms that they haven’t a clue.

[LeftInTX]

91. The campus was closed to outsiders at the time. Police were checking ID cards.

Somehow they got in. I'm pretty sure they were invited somehow. Even a parent was turned away the night before Hamilton was occupied.

Columbia is a private university.

[IronLionZion]

46. I participate in the big marches with permits and sitting US Senators

since those are less likely to devolve into violence, criminal behavior, and police brutality.

I steer clear of sketchy stuff. I lived in downtown DC for the past 8 years and saw plenty of lunacy from people with questionable agendas.

[LeftInTX]

92. Yeah, that's about it for me.

[AnrothElf]

63. Not surprised. It was 80% non-student/faculty at the ASU encampment in Tempe, AZ

Local news report:

https://www.12news.com/article/news/politics/police-remove-pro-palestinian-protesters-from-asu/75-7aef3345-782e-47ee-bf17-104ffe86784b

[sarisataka]

67. But just above outsiders were deemed "mythical"

And outside agitators is a canard...

What are we supposed to believe is true?

[AnrothElf]

74. When I saw footage of a "student" banging a metal bowl and shrieking "WE ARE HAMAS!"

I had seen enough.

I've also had enough of America's fake-ass "leftists" in general. The so-called "hard left". They're a pathetic joke. They don't vote, and when they do, they don't vote for Democrats, so fuck 'em.

They're welcome to protest all they want. I don't give a fuck what they have to say. They have zero credibility with me.

And when they get kettled, arrested, and expelled, I still won't give a fuck.

[JustAnotherGen]

104. This

[Rebl2]

66. Been saying that

for over a week.

[marble falls]

76. So what????

[snot]

85. What was MSNBC's source for that info?

Because I heard the opposite on NPR – that there were virtually no outsiders, and that the claim that there were was a lie propagated by police.

[snot]

87. It's perhaps worth mentioning,

as anyone knows who's actually participated in protests that actually were protests against TPTB (as opposed to those sanctioned by them, such as the Women's March), the use of agents provacateurs is to be expected (i.e., TPTB hire agents to incite violence in order to generate anti-protest sentiment among the public and justify cracking down on the protest). This technique was used with deadly effectiveness against the Black Panthers in the 60's (see https://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans/individuals/fred-hampton ).

"Black Block" agents are often also drawn to chaos-generating opportunities.

During the Occupy movement, the police also often arrested the homeless or petty criminals and sent them into the camps as a condition of letting them go.

I have no personal info about what's actually going on in the current university protests, but I'd urge caution in making assumptions or accepting what authorities say about it.

[drmeow]

94. "Not students"

includes staff and faculty - it is meaningless. Universities are not just made up of students and students are not the only people who have a right to make demands of a university. If they say 'not members of the university community it would mean outsiders.

[Bucky]

102. I'm not sure why anyone assumes that an American protestor can't protest on a college campus.

You don't have to register at a college to have the right to protest at that college. I thought college engagement with the broader community was a good thing. I thought groups of Americans showing up to support other groups in their dissents was a virtue, not a sin.

I know some protestors are going off into toxic areas like anti-semitism. Well, fuck those people. But just being a non-student at a campus protest by itself is not a bad thing.

[Voltaire2]

103. The only way student lead protests can be successful

is if they expand into their communities, if they draw the community into a common movement of the people. That is no guarantee of success, it is just one necessary element. What guarantees failure is of course a student lead protest movement that is isolated to the student population.