I think that's improbable. An undercover might have provoked a hothead, but again, the account that I find most credible is a small shootout between a few bikers, followed by mahem, most thrown by police.
-- whenever government is keeping something quiet or trying to keep it secret it's not because they did something right. --
I agree with that. I think the government's use of force was reckless in the extreme, and not justified. The courts will find, at worst, that there were a few reckless shots but by and large the police did nothing wrong. That's what courts do, whitewash police action (unless is obviously out of line, like ramming a broomstick up some detainee's nether region).
The video most likely creates "bad optics" for the police.
Hmm. You know, your post makes me wonder if the point of the mass arrest was to make sure no damaging cell phone video got out to hurt those optics you mentioned.
Be interesting to see if the detainees ever get their cell phones back.