Bob Reich: Oops, Never Mind

Scott and Steve wrote here and here about Bob Reich’s peddling of alleged “rumors”–most likely fabricated by him–that Milo Yiannopoulos organized the riots at Berkeley against his own appearance there, in order to make liberals like Reich look bad. This was an idiotic suggestion for any number of reasons, including the fact that the same black-clad, masked rioters show up and smash windows and ATMs at all kinds of international conferences.

It turns out that no shadowy conspiracy theory is necessary; the organizers of the Berkeley riot are easy to find, and are proud of their work. And they don’t have anything to do with Milo. The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

Organizers of the anti-Milo Yiannopoulos demonstration last week at UC Berkeley that ended in $100,000 worth of window-breaking chaos declared it a “stunningly successful” protest — one they’ll happily repeat if the right-wing provocateur tries to return to campus.

“We are happy with the results,” said UC Berkeley Law School alumnus Ronald Cruz of the group By Any Means Necessary, or BAMN. “We were able to meet Mr. Yiannopoulos’ fascist message with massive resistance.”

An estimated 150 “black bloc” anarchists attacked police with rocks and fireworks and used barricades to smash windows at the student union Feb. 1, forcing the cancellation of Yiannopoulos’ appearance.

“We are not affiliated with them, but were united in shutting down the Milo event,” Cruz said.

“Everyone played a part,” he said. “Some engaged in breaking windows — others held signs and made sure that the fascists and the police did not attack anyone.”

No comment so far from the contemptible Bob Reich, or from CNN’s Don Lemon, who ate up Reich’s “rumor” that the Berkeley riots were an inside job orchestrated by Milo.

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