I don't doubt that a bit.
I also don't doubt that no one is willing to confront this "small but very vocal group" due to Political Correctness (on the white side) and the fear of being branded an Oreo (on the responsible black side).
And that's the fundamental problem here.
When we moved here, we were a bit leary. I've never lived anywhere where I was in the minority -- not only in my neighborhood, but in local shops, etc. I had heard news of racial tension in St. Pete, so it was a bit scary. But I can tell you that in the 20 months I've lived here, I have never experienced any problems. I love my neighborhood. The Publix where we shop is one of the best run grocery stores I've ever been to in my life! My neighbors, black and white, take pride in their neighborhood, their yards and homes. (Ours is probably one of the worst.) As far as schools, Pinellas County has school choice, so you can go to any school... but we homeschool. We homeschooled before we came here, if you're wondering; it had nothing to do with the neighborhood.
Pinellas County and St. Pete do have some unique problems. It is the most population dense place in the state. We are locked on a small peninsula -- no room to expand. We paid 3 times the cost of our house in Orlando for this house, a large but old fixer-upper. (Large means 2500 square feet on a 1/4 acre lot). The value has probably increased 20% since our move. Taxes, utilities, everything here is much higher. The cost of living is skyrocketing, but many of the jobs are low-paying service industry jobs. It doesn't matter how hard you work, it's becoming more difficult to live in this area. It is especially difficult for retirees on a fixed income and low income families. It is not as if affordable housing is a short drive away, either, or that we have wonderful public transportation. Not that this would in any way excuse violence, but I can imagine being frustrated. This is a wonderful community, but we definitely have some problems to address.
I don't know about the rioters, but my neighbors are intelligent, kind, hardworking people. They value education, family and community. If I could afford to move to a ritzier community on the beach, in the north, or on the islands, I wouldn't do it. I am very happy where I am, and I am so glad our children are growing up in this community. And that is the honest truth!