Prior to looting and destroying, the Baltimore rioters made their intentions clear: “Shut down Amerikkka.”

And they defended the actions of those destroying downtown Baltimore:

Property damage is not violence, it is property damage. Violence is when people are hurt, injured, harmed. The police have been violent. — deray mckesson (@deray) April 26, 2015

We have become too casual with the word violence — it refers to harm done to people. The police are the only violent ones here. — deray mckesson (@deray) April 26, 2015

Protester organizers didn’t have an explanation for this:

Here’s how RT described it: “A Ruptly producer had their handbag stolen live on camera, after being surrounded by a group of youths, as they filmed a protest over the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore, Saturday. The producer gave chase to the suspected thief before police intervened.”

Here’s more:

Protester organizers vowed confrontation hours before:

And they’re not going away anytime soon: