Following the outbreak of violence against Donald Trump supporters in San Jose yesterday, Vox editor Emmett Rensin called for anti-Trump protesters to double down on their rioting.

https://twitter.com/emmettrensin/status/738583628855156742

https://twitter.com/emmettrensin/status/738580181686706178

Despite outrage from other users on Twitter, Rensin doubled down in a bizarre follow-up comment.

https://twitter.com/emmettrensin/status/738597725445357569

Rensin’s point appears to be that the punditry, who have regularly compared Trump to a fascist dictator and a threat to democracy, ought to be supporting, or at least not condemning, anti-Trump violence.

https://twitter.com/emmettrensin/status/738730598831771648

https://twitter.com/emmettrensin/status/738733268128796672

https://twitter.com/emmettrensin/status/738737577302200320

https://twitter.com/emmettrensin/status/738736984147951616

https://twitter.com/emmettrensin/status/738737444560871424

Rensin, who admitted to being a communist in a later tweet, responded to critics accusing him of inciting violence by claiming he was merely calling for property damage, not violence. So that’s OK then …

https://twitter.com/emmettrensin/status/738584415169740801

https://twitter.com/emmettrensin/status/738610804405108739

He went on to mock critics who threatened to report him to the authorities for inciting violence.

https://twitter.com/emmettrensin/status/738604961257291777

https://twitter.com/emmettrensin/status/738607411670355968

He also suggested that conservatives were just as bad.

https://twitter.com/emmettrensin/status/738721852391096320

Vox, founded by former Daily Kos editors and edited by Ezra Klein, is well-known for its left-wing biases, masked behind their seemingly objective slogan of “explain the news.” Even so, to have one of their editors defend the violence that occurred in San Jose yesterday is likely to deepen their reputation for left-wing wackiness even further.