'Bring your flags!' Are the Portland rioters trying to change their brand to patriotism?

Protesters have been burning American flags for the last few weeks, but is that going to change? Andy Ngo has been keeping an eye on message boards and on Wednesday said that the rioters are looking for a way to change the perception of their siege of the federal courthouse. They’ve already dispatched their “wall of moms” in yellow T-shirts (and dads in orange T-shirts), and we all saw how quickly the media took the bait with those moms.

The flag waving is a propaganda move for the cameras. They are discussing on Reddit & other places new ways to “change” public perception on the riots. This is a group that beats people carrying flags, burns US flags, & chants for abolishment of the US. pic.twitter.com/FipxGJUxNS

— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 22, 2020

And — surprise! — now, with the mainstream media finally paying attention, the protesters are being encouraged to bring their flags, seeing as they’re the patriots here expressing their First Amendment rights at the hands of a fascist government.

After "moms" and "dads," the next astroturfing campaign for the Portland riots are … "patriots." #antifa pic.twitter.com/xD7J58WS4v

— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) July 23, 2020

This bothers me more than them burning the flag.

— BennyFrankie (@BennyFrankie2) July 23, 2020

They’re realizing this movement is backfiring like crazy, so now they’re gonna pretend to love this nation. Too late

— Rickasaurus (@RickasaurusTHOT) July 23, 2020

And just yesterday they were burning them. I hate liars.

— Josie Lewis aka Onna Hambourgiesha! (@JosieLe62818667) July 23, 2020

I'm sure this will go over well with the Marxist faction of rioters.

— FarThrustStarDust (@DustFar) July 23, 2020

My thoughts too! Curious to see how this plays out.

— Char (@QueencharleneD) July 23, 2020

Just optics. They were talking about how they needed to bring flags in so it changes the optics

— Ernesto Alvarez (@EAviator82) July 24, 2020

There is a false dichtomy being set up here.

Do you notice?

—-> “Anyone who is against us is a fascist”

This agitprop tactic is so simple, yet effective on either naive young people, or disillusioned boomers.

You see the same fallacious rhetoric in any leftist debate.

— Terra Firma, Deo Volente ?? (@LVolente) July 24, 2020

We, the roaming, rioting mob, officially declare, anyone who impedes our path, is a fascist.

Someone sold them that, they bought it, and are now in shock that people are standing in their path. Great plan.

— Mike Jones ?? (@MikeJonesSysDev) July 24, 2020

The mob has been listening to some older Marxists. 'The failure of many of our younger activists to understand the art of communication has been disastrous.' New story is usurp the American flag as their own, and falsely claim the establishment have betrayed the flag.

— Inaffirmative (@inaffirmative) July 24, 2020

At least it seems they're looking for an exit strategy.

End soon please, for the sake of the few sane people left in the area.

— Mike Jones ?? (@MikeJonesSysDev) July 24, 2020

They hate the flag and literally assault anyone in their protests that have a flag.

— ??? Red Charlutte ??? (@ReddCharlutte) July 24, 2020

Up until now, that’s how they knew whom to beat with a bike lock because they were a fascist — look for anyone carrying the American flag.

So pathetic really.

— JCAM (@TweetsbyJKC) July 23, 2020

Patriots burning flags… Makes sense…

— Dr. Danish?! (@deslockiii) July 24, 2020

Little late for optics at this point

— TruthExpose (@TruthExpose4) July 24, 2020

8:45pm start time? Yeah that's going to be another riot.

— Slipshod (@Slipshod19) July 24, 2020

They’ll all be live streaming it Thursday night, so let’s see how many patriots show up with American flags right-side-up.

Related:

‘Maybe raise them NOT to commit arson’: Dana Loesch OWNS Portland moms protecting Hot-Pocket-eating, basement-dwelling rioters https://t.co/ofXVYoO4gO

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) July 20, 2020