In a bulletin issued May 1, the Texas Joint Information Center run by the DPS warned of increasing violence between the Bandidos and Cossacks. Dallas TV station WFAA (Channel 8) obtained the bulletin and reported it said the conflict could stem from Cossacks refusing to pay Bandidos dues for operating in Texas and for wearing a Texas patch on their vests without the Bandidos' approval.170 motorcycle gang members charged | Denton Record Chronicle | 19 May 2015DPS spokesman Tom Vinger declined to comment on the authenticity of the bulletin, citing agency policy.
On the other hand, the president of the McClennan County chapter of Cossacks says the police asked him to help calm the waters between Cossacks and Bandidos. He showed up at Twin peaks (is one of the arrested), and in his bail reduction hearing says that he did NOT expect any trouble at the meeting.
"Who started it" arguments are never settled, ever. Both sides of every fight claim they were justified with whatever they said or did. I can see action starting and escalating with a biker-biker, or with an informant-biker or infiltrator-biker. Just on pure numbers, there being more biker-bikers than the other types, more likely things started with a biker-biker.
But I don't see any way the initial fight, even if it included a gun battle, would have resulted in as many dead and wounded if the police had been absent. Of course, that is speculation, but it seems to me that not so many people are willing to jump into a gunfight unless they have the benefit of cover or escape route.
-- That suggests that the police caused the melee intentionally through inaction ... --
If the police were passive, they didn't start it. Allowed it to start, sure.
-- ... directly through agitation ... --
I see agitation and cranking people up to a fight as indirect. The direct actors are the ones who use force of violence.
“If the police were passive, they didn’t start it. Allowed it to start, sure.”
I don’t think the police are allowed to declare Marshall Law ...