An in law in California is telling me that he has been reliably informed

[malaise]

that the raids on high end stores are sabotage against Dem control of the state. Is this credible?

[Lovie777]

1. Never heard that . .. ...

who knows, I know the RWers have a suit out condeming "diversity" regarding corporate boards, go figure. RWers are fucked up and want total minority rule, i.e. a dictatorship.

[EYESORE 9001]

2. If true, those responsible have left a trail of clues

RWers have no problem dreaming up evil plans, but they always fail to cover their tracks effectively. Consider the nazis of WW2, who kept such meticulous records that prosecution was made much easier.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

3. Hell, anythings possible with the pukes in this political atmosphere.

So, yeah, it's conceivable.

[Hortensis]

24. Agree. Much RW political action is encouraging what works for them.

Same for Russia -- augment whatever hurts us.

Violence and other crime increases support for RW authoritarians and decreases it for individual liberty.

[Lasher]

4. It's the first I've heard of it.

Interesting theory, though.

[Cattledog]

5. Sabotage by who?

This is just easy pickings. It's happening in other cities. Little risk high payoff. Easy to sell on Ebay.

[Heartstrings]

6. These aren't just happening in Cali.....

Flash mob burglary’s occured in Chicago and on the East coast as well I believe.

[ShazamIam]

11. Yes, the targets are cities claimed to be too liberal, Chicago has been on the list for years and

of course Philadelphia. They operate like James Okeefe, They create the situations they claim exists.

[JI7]

16. These stores are more likely to be in cities which tend to be blue

[ShazamIam]

20. I think the exclusive stores exist in all large cities but Chicago, Philadelphia, D.C., the Bay Area

Cities, California itself, have been RW targets for decades, and Seattle and Portland became targets around 2010.

Since I have spent about half of my adult life in red parts of CA, the conservative and Republican talking points have always been part of the noise I am exposed to even If I didn't deliberately monitor what they were saying, I agree with the, know your opposition, rule.

[Sympthsical]

7. Doubt it

This state is as blue as a state can be.

We do have problems with organized theft rings, however. We've had problems with them for some time now. Highly organized. Seems like this could be a new phase of things.

I can't imagine it would stay a secret long if it were political. They are catching some people, and people tend to talk to save themselves.

[malaise]

8. Thanks

[shrike3]

17. Glad to hear they're catching some people.

Wasn't aware you've had problems before. Guess it was just this situation's time in the news cycle.

[bottomofthehill]

9. Sounds like a friend of a friend story to me

They usually end up being bullshit. Robberies happen because people think they can get away with it and profit from it.

[ShazamIam]

10. Entirely credible and so is what has been going on in Portland and Seattle for years. The conser-

vatives hope to use the rural conservatives in OR, WA and CA to undermine any city they consider to be, "led by liberals."

Way back in the 2000s, teams of, "anarchists," were sent in to use violence to disrupt the, at the time huge protests when a G7 or G20 meeting was held. Those meetings that led to total globalization of the search for the cheapest labor and resources and how to extract them from the rightful nations and hand control to for profit preferably Western owned corporations.

Of course the last one was in Pennsylvania and sound trucks were used to disperse the crowds, and forbid demonstrators.

https://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/06/G20.tweeters/

[The Magistrate]

23. So, Sir

You claim to know the 'black bloc' are Republican operatives, and have been for years?

Sounds awfully like 'antifa' being behind the insurrection at the Capitol last January....

[ShazamIam]

25. "antifa," definitely a creation of RW dirty trick politics. As you know there is no such group or

even a "grass roots," antifa yet the conservative and media talkers go on and on about it as if there is such a thing both AG Wm Barr and FBI Dir have stated there is no antifa. Wray testified to Congress all the violent perps arrested during the Floyd demonstrations had been linked to militias, no leftist organizations.

Still the media rambles on and continues to use the word as if it there is such a thing.

*edit: Wry to Wray

[The Magistrate]

30. That Does Not Answer The Question, Sir

It is true that right-wing provocateurs stoked violence last year.

Neither that, nor the essential non-existence of any formal organization answering to political descriptions of 'antifa', proves your point, that 'black bloc' elements have from their inception been Republican operatives.

That one you are going to have to prove, and absent such proof, your claim is of the same class as Lin Wood announcing it was 'antifa' pretending to be Trump supporters at the Capitol last year.

[ShazamIam]

31. Truth is this, Blac Block thing is new and I will bet that if I go looking I will find it all over

conservative sites. But not today.

Here are some familiar phrases and words from conservative organizations to use to direct the narrative and dialogue.
One of the first: Political correctness, as a counter to a very strong movement in the lat 60s and early 70s calling to end dismissive and damning group names and phrases from public and official dialogues.

PETA is a turffed up name used to attack animal rights movement by portraying them as insane extremists, along with ELF (Earth Liberation Front)

Code Pink to make fun of the Anti Iraq war protestors

"New Black Panthers," which they are trying to bring back again, to scare White people of course.

"Anarchists," pre-dated "antifa", to attack demonstrators by sending in their black clad and black masked stick bearing and later skate board bearing window smashers.

[The Magistrate]

36. The 'Black Bloc' Usage Is Quite Old, Sir

By my recollection it dates to the original G7 incidents you reference, and derives from the practical attire of the violent clique.

So, if I have summarized your view, every unpopular or outlandish body or action from a left point of view is not actually the doing of leftists, but of right-wing operatives pretending to be leftists?

[ShazamIam]

45. I don't know, but we have been told via various sources that some law enforcement people seem to

be blind to or assisting the violence actors. What do you think of this story, San Francisco Chronicle via MSN so no paywall.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/experts-baffled-by-video-showing-s-f-police-apparently-watching-as-burglary-unfolds/ar-AAR6oBK?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531

[The Magistrate]

50. Rather Than Rule 34, Sir, Try Your Post 31 Above

Your argument seems to eating its tail at this point, having begun with alleging right wing plots which amount to creating all the more colorful left elements themselves, and come round to charging right wing elements are mistakenly taking at face value some of the more colorful left elements.

If you think police siding with right-wing thugs is something new enough to surprise, or that it somehow validates your original claim both criminal and left excesses were being contrived by right wingers, really, it accomplishes neither.

[ShazamIam]

51. lol, ok let's keep playing. The right and all media blab about antifa all the time and there are

regular reports of arrests of violent actors at various demonstrations. Where the violence and or property damage is proclaimed and statements about arrests.

What is missing from these told in an alarming voice stories. There have been no follow-up show trials of these lefties,
no reports of trails of plotting on social media, no evidence of financial support, etc. The kind of evidence generally provided to support claims.

A lot of people believe there is an antifa just like a lot of people believe the criminal liar won the election.

[Hortensis]

29. ? I believe you misunderstand. Whatever actually happened,

sending RW hooligans, or outright DVE -- the real thing, not analogous to mostly imaginary "Antifa" -- to stir up violence at LW gatherings is a very old tactic. Violence strengthens support, even demand, for RW authoritarian government and, obviously, and has the opposite effect on support for peaceful causes successfully smeared with it.

[The Magistrate]

33. Provocatuers Are An Old Police Tool, Ma'am, Certainly

That does not establish that any and all violent misbehavior by left elements owes to police or political agents. The old Weathermen actually did make bombs, all on their own, as their choice of proper action. It is a mistake to view the left as inherently non-violent and committed to only peaceable protest. It never has been, and is not even now, though violent elements have been marginalized. They are still present, however, and pretending they are not does no good to anyone.

[Hortensis]

37. Magistrate, no one said LW violence doesn't exist, just as no one

mentioned black blocs or Repubs. Until you. Back to discussing what was said?

[The Magistrate]

38. The Gentleman I Addressed, Ma'am

Has pretty much stated just that. He has begun by claiming to a certainly these blitz raids on high end stores are a Republican plot, and gone on to claim everything from Peta to Code Pink owes to the same sort of skullduggery. I don't find that credible. I know there are knuckleheads on the left, I've met some, and I know there are opportunistic criminals capable of organizing to seize loot in relative safety. I've met some of them too down the years.

[ShazamIam]

53. I am relieved that I have not made any of the claims you are concerned about.

[TheFarseer]

12. It certainly supports their talking points

I would need some evidence that it’s a Republican plot.

[ShazamIam]

32. I din't say Republican, I said conservative but then do you believe the tea party was a grass roots

movement or something created and financed by conservative money?

Do you believe the MAGATS have organized themselves?

[TheFarseer]

39. Movements like the tea party and MAGA

Might be supported and partly financed by Republicans, but they started as a result of crazy people getting together and demanding the crazy ideas that talk radio and the sociopath down at the cafe tells them every day. These people are a little nuts and they’ve missed the point of everything but they’re real people. It’s much easier to organize with the internet and that’s what we are seeing.

[bluestarone]

13. IF true then i'm thinking

These people doing it are IMPORTS!! California WILL figure out a way to TRAP them i bet! Matter of time they WILL get caught and JAILED!!

[onecaliberal]

43. There were more than 10 arrests just yesterday.

Not all of these people are getting away.

[bluestarone]

47. Will be interesting to see

What their address's are.

[onecaliberal]

49. Haven't heard any additional details so far today.

Yes, it will all be interesting.

[ripcord]

14. It is nice to see conspiracy theories straddle idealologies. nt

[JI7]

15. No

[Elessar Zappa]

18. Doubtful.

I think it’s run-of-the-mill organized crime.

[kimbutgar]

19. Did you ask them where they got that information ?

Whenever I hear someone say something like that I ask them their source and can they verify it with creditable facts. Usually they say they read it on the internet or heard from a friend. I then ask them again is it creditable or a rumor. They then change the subject.

[Kaleva]

42. +1

[The Magistrate]

21. Unlikely, Ma'am

And something no one who was not involved in the raids could know.

The items sold have a high resale value, and there are now numerous channels beyond some professional fence for realizing cash from the booty. It's worth organizing a crew for, it seems.

Here in Chicago there have been raids on such stores in the Michigan Avenue stretch. Not on quite the same scale, but the same basic pattern: a group swarms the joint, grabs what can be, and departs. A store in which theft of a dozen purses can amount to theft of seventy-thousand dollars or so I confess I regard as a standing invitation to human ingenuity and dash....

[malaise]

22. Thanks Sir

Gues we'll do anything for brand names

[The Magistrate]

26. At Twenty, Ma'am, I Expect The Challenge Would Have Appealed To Me....

And it is true enough these things do benefit Republican agitators. But it's a big step from 'this is good for X' to 'X made this happen', and people do too often take it over vast, un-bridged chasms. I got very poor grades in geometry in school, because I could often see my way to a proof in four or five steps that was supposed to have a dozen. The teacher would mark a point for each skipped step, with the result that I could turn in an assignment with all answers correct and still get a near-failing grade. I understand why she did it, and it's been useful to recall on occasions.

[magicarpet]

27. The "Law & Order" Nazi Party,...

.... don't put anything past them.

They need solid election wins in 2022 for the US House and Senate. So they can cancel, phase out and kill any meaningful US Capitol investigation of the riot/mayhem/insurrection/coup de'tat against democracy to install their preferred despot/dictator.

[Klaralven]

28. SF DA Chesa Boudin Announces Charges for 9 Suspects Linked to Retail Thefts

Of the nine arrested, at least three others are connected to a separate Friday night burglary at a cannabis dispensary, and one other is linked to a Walgreen's burglary.

Francill White, Tomiko Miller, Kimberly Cherry, and Ivan Speed have been charged in connection with the Lois Vuitton store incident -- facing burglary, grand theft, receiving stolen property, and looting charges.

In addition, suspects Raymond Phillips, Edward James Jr., and Michael Ray are facing the same charges in connection with the cannabis store burglary.

Prosecutors also allege Jamisi Callaway -- accused of being a passenger inside a getaway vehicle outside of Louis Vuitton -- and Daron Wilson -- accused of burglarizing the Walgreens -- were armed when officers arrested them. Both men are facing several weapons charges.

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/san-francisco/sf-da-chesa-boudin-announces-charges-for-9-suspects-linked-to-retail-thefts/2739919/

Need to research the political affiliations of these 9.

[Elessar Zappa]

34. My guess is that they're non-political.

I’d have to see compelling evidence before I blame this on the Republicans.

[brooklynite]

35. Sounds as silly as every other conspiracy theory I've heard...

Perhaps the fact that no reputable news source is reporting this says something?

[mahina]

40. They're just civic-minded individuals standing up for

Their political party.

I just saw a pile of right wing false reality audiobooks while looking for Sam Quinones The Least of Us. Never even considered anyone who can read would pitch such garbage and some publisher would bite. All 5 star reviews. Evidently we are causing all the problems.

How progressives ruin cities. I wonder what they do about homelessness and poverty and drug addiction in right controlled cities? Oh right, nothing.

They have think tanks gaming out radical messaging I think. “Waste no tragedy, lie all the time”
-wingers

Hey Malaise, you have a beautiful Thanksgiving

[malaise]

48. We don't have Thanksgiving here

but I do give thanks for family, friends, sunshine, DU and the fact that the Slobfather 's coup failed

[mahina]

52. Aloha

Same! ✨🤙🏼🤙🏼🌸

[Ace Rothstein]

41. They're just shitty people engaged in shitty, anti-social behavior.

[Mordred]

44. Enterprising self-starting individuals who

have found a novel solution to the crushing runaway spiral of inflation!

[onenote]

46. 'reliably'?

I'd ask them to identify the "reliable" source of this claim.