Until recently, the media have generally operated in a state of denial that there’s been any rioting going on at all. Again and again, we see violent riots referred to as “mostly peaceful” in the context of this spring’s and summer’s gatherings.

Yes, there have been peaceful demonstrations in many cities since George Floyd’s death in police custody. But the rioting, looting, arson, and dangerous assaults on police have also been occurring the entire time. In Portland, rioting has been going on for months on a nightly basis. The claim that it has anything to do with racial justice has worn especially thin in places where the destruction has been especially acute, CHAZ, Denver, Minneapolis, Chicago, etc., and now add Kenosha to the list.