Social media users have been reporting mysterious piles of bricks in cities across the U.S. during recent days, stoking speculation that the stashes are being planted to encourage violence amid the protests over George Floyd’s death.
On Sunday, police authorities confirmed the existence of such piles in Kansas City, urging residents to notify police if they discover any new stashes.
“We have learned of & discovered stashes of bricks and rocks in & around the Plaza and Westport to be used during a riot,” police said in a tweet. “If you see anything like this, you can text 911 and let us know so we can remove them.”
Rioters in Manhattan reportedly happened upon a pile just lying in the middle of the street Sunday night despite it not being clear what the bricks would be used for in terms of construction.
In Dallas, Instagram user @reubengotsoul said he was disappointed to see a “RANDOM stack of bricks in front of the courthouse,” adding that he believed it was a setup.
Famous rapper and actor ICE T commented on another video that captured more piles of bricks lying nearby an ongoing protest, saying, “Looks like a set up to me… There’s ALWAYS more than meets the eye..”
While the videos to this point are unconfirmed, their existence certainly does raise suspicion that nefarious groups are planting stashes to instigate violence, as The Blaze reported.
President Trump also expressed his concern that a majority of the rioters in some places were from out of state, insinuating that riots may have been intentionally organized.
According to a report by the Daily Mail, authorities in Washington, D.C., and New York City confirmed that law enforcement believed the violent riots to be the result of planning and organization.