It also takes only one or two government-paid provocateurs throwing one or two objects to cause 500 police to attack and beat up several thousand peaceful protestors. This is a time-honoured technique used by governments to discredit protestors, and permit a forceful "response" by the police or the army. If the protestors won't get violent themselves, someone else does it for them.

I have no idea if such occurred in Oakland, but it does happen.

- LH