I have a friend who only knows what he learns from a premium mainstream news outlet. He told me recently that the Republicans had been spreading lies, including a whopper about some mythical mob.

According to my friend, those people are peaceful protestors. And — outside of maybe a garbage can full of flames — no one’s starting fires.

As for looters, he explained, there might be “12.”

But you know differently.

And you most likely caught recent video of folks taking over the patio of a Pittsburgh restaurant, taunting and cussing the patrons, drinking their beer, flipping them off, and smashing glasses onto the cement.

If you’re a stranger to the clip, Welcome (Language Warning):


Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, I’m sure this will win over the swing vote in this key battleground state @realDonaldTrump will win PA again. pic.twitter.com/QLczUu0Nz6

— Rob O'Donnell (@odonnell_r) September 7, 2020

Over the last few months, we’ve seen very real mobs destroying very real property and taking things belonging to others at numbers far exceeding a dozen, seemingly all free of consequence.

But in Pennsylvania, things are going a bit differently.

RedState’s Sister Toldjah noted thusly:

Monday night (in Lancaster)…was a much different story according to local reports and others on the scene, and that was largely thanks to a combination of “proactive policing” from law enforcement and actions from local officials that effectively deterred another night of violence before it could even get started.

Amid rubber bullets and tear gas, eight revolutionaries were arrested Sunday night and held on $1 million bail.

Black Lives Matter activists in Lancaster are all skittish and afraid of getting arrested because they just learned that bail is being set at 1 million dollars. Lancaster is not Portland. pic.twitter.com/wGh0K6D9KN

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) September 15, 2020

Additionally, officials are responding to Steel City’s restaurant row.

The Powers That Be apparently plan to serve eatery invaders a cold plate of crow: Three have now been arrested.

On Tuesday, the trio — including beer burglar Monique Craft, 35 — were fingered by Pittsburgh police.

Her compadres: Shawn Green and Kenneth McDowell.

Fox News reports:

Craft…who identifies as nonbinary, was charged by summons with theft, conspiracy and simple trespass.

You may have caught Monique’s shirt: “Nazis Lives Don’t Matter.” Who are the Nazis? Police? You?

As for 24-year-old Shawn and 33-year-old Kenneth, the former was charged with disorderly conduct, conspiracy, criminal mischief, and simple process; the latter with possessing instruments of a crime, conspiracy, harassment, and two counts of disorderly conduct.

The Daily Wire points out, “McDowell screamed obscenities at diners; Green swore at diners and made the obscene gestures.”

But some say the video falls short of the total tale.

From the Wire:

“People were starting to get aggressive towards us because they didn’t see what happened. But the other people actually didn’t care. They got up out of their seats and moved to the side so that we could address the people who actually were making remarks,” one demonstrator told local media. “Like, ‘oh we’re an embarrassment and we’re disgusting.’ But we can’t be the embarrassment and disgusting people when we’re peacefully saying stop killing our brothers and sisters and someone can come in and throw blows.”

Whatever the case, as for thousands across America burning things, breaking things, and overtaking things, it seems to me the same will continue.

Forever.

Unless — that is — they discover doing such won’t be followed by allowance to rinse and repeat.

In select areas, I’d say that’s presently still a big, fat “unless.”

-ALEX

See more pieces from me:

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Perfect Portrait of Where We Are: 19 Black Families Join to Create Their Own Town

Baylor University Adds a Trigger Warning to 2,977 Commemorations of September 11th

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