“I think someone said these riots are practice for the revolution”
I think so. They’ve been holding far too many training classes to only have what we have seen in these demonstrations.
Their model is not to do the revolution of years past, but a revolution based on media, videos, disinformation, and carefully controlled violence and intimidation.
The leaders delude their followers to think they are invincible, but they know that they are only safe from the other side as long as the police and the government actually side with them.
That's why their weapons of choice are the camera and the complaint to the police or the media that somebody assaulted them.