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When I saw this video–claiming that a “violent mob” destroyed the tent the Koch brothers had paid for in front of the Michigan Capitol–I knew right away it was likely a false flag. After all, Stranahan, James O’Keefe’s buddy, first posted it. Within minutes it was up at Drudge.
Just as this whole narrative was rolling out, Dick DeVos’ paid hack was calling for RICCO [sic] charges against union leaders.
All this, in spite of the fact that witnesses say the Americans for Prosperity people were trying to provoke union members to violence, and witnesses reportedly saw AFP people loosening the ropes on the tents so they would come down. And in spite of the fact the place was crawling with cops (shipped in from around the state) who didn’t do see anything amiss. (Cops are as we speak arresting people engaging in civil disobedience at the Romney Building, where the Governor’s office is.)
Sadly, many of MI’s local journalists don’t know enough to distrust anything a Breitbart affiliate says and have repeated the violence narrative, based on such discredited sources.
This is developing (and I’m home sick, so working remotely). But it appears the KochBots just staged a false flag.
Update: And now Fox is going with the narrative.
And all this is happening just as Michigan State Police begin to mace those peaceful protestors at the Romney building.
So literally coinciding with the roll-out of actual police violence we’re seeing this narrative of violence.
Apparently according to Gongwer, a news service in MI, “State Police downplayed the incident and said no one was arrested.”
Update: Here’s a picture of Steve Crowder deliberately provoking peaceful union people from before he was claiming to have been attacked.
I assume, given that the cops say the tent was no big deal and no arrests have been made, Crowder did not share his accusations of assault with any of the hundreds of cops standing right near by.
Update: Here’s Steve Crowder’s very obviously heavily edited video.
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Given that there were witnesses to the early confrontation, where Crowder was clearly inciting people, it amuses me he tried to make a video showing the same people.
Update: Here’s witness Tom Duckworth describing the NRA-clad guy who he had earlier seen with the other AFP people deliberately taking down the tent.
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A few points about his story. First, the collapse of the tent (with people inside) would explain why the video showed pushing shoving: because they were trying to get people out from underneath the tent. Second, there was a Sheriff onsite immediately who apparently did nothing, besides get the crowds away. That also means that–at least given the juxtaposition of the tent collapse and the purported assault on Crowder–there were not only hundreds of MSP in sight, but there was a Sheriff on hand to whom Crowder could have reported the alleged assault. I’ll be curious to see if he did.
Update: I asked Steve Crowder on Twitter whether he reported his “assault” and why he released such a heavily edited video.
He deleted them from his timeline so his followers don’t know he’s dodging such obvious questions.
Update: One of Crowder’s followers says he can see my tweets. I can’t. But in any case, Crowder is not answer that question.