Fact check: What evidence exists of organized distribution of weapons or projectiles to protesters?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available analyses, there is no direct evidence of organized weapon distribution to protesters ^[1]. While there have been documented instances of protesters throwing rocks and other objects at law enforcement, these incidents do not indicate a systematic distribution network ^[1].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The broader context of global weapons availability provides important perspective:

• There were approximately 857 million firearms in civilian hands globally as of 2017 ^[2]
• Only 12% of these weapons were officially registered ^[2]
• Illicit firearms are widely available and typically used by criminal groups to:
• Fight for territorial dominance
• Threaten communities
• Facilitate criminal activities ^[2]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains several potential biases that need addressing:

• It presumes organization where there might be none, potentially feeding into conspiracy theories
• The question overlooks that social media has been actively spreading disinformation about protests ^[1]
• It fails to acknowledge that while weapons might be present at protests, this doesn't necessarily indicate organized distribution

Who benefits from these narratives:

• Law enforcement agencies might benefit from narratives about organized weapon distribution to justify increased security measures
• Social media platforms benefit from engagement generated by controversial claims about protests ^[1]
• Criminal organizations benefit from the focus being on protesters rather than existing illegal weapons trafficking networks ^[2]