People provoking other people are really called anarchists like the leaders of the occupy wall street.

Yes if the cop was black it still could have happened. The cops are the authority figures.

The looting is started by opportunists and then everyday people will join them. Locks don't stop real thieves. They are to keep basicly honest people from stealing. Once the doors are broken in to everyone thinks they can take a taste.

I was in the middle of the Harlem riots in the 60s. The tactical patrol cops were out to stop it. They were all big guys on horse back. They were trying to keep the rioters from moving east from Lexington ave.

They could not stop them. So the people who lived east of Lexington decided to stop them. I got friendly with one of those tactical patrol cops. I met him again years later. I needed a handyman got him from my local hardware store.

Then we got to talking, and he remembered me from my Harlem days.

They coined the phrase Long Hot summer during those summer riots also that song hot time summer in the city.

That is right being bored s a big part of it. Nothing to do so they find something to do.