This whole affair is a classic action right out of Saul Alinski’s book - Rules for Radicals. To wit:
The organizer dedicated to changing the life of a particular community must first rub raw the resentments of the people of the community; fan the latent hostilities of many of the people to the point of overt expression. He must search out controversy and issues, rather than avoid them, for unless there is controversy people are not concerned enough to act. — P.116-117
Looks like all of the media have read Alinsky’s book.