On the UK riots, Joan Westenberg suggests: "Think about it this way: if someone broke into your house & started smashing your belongings, you wouldn't describe them as an "interior design critic." You'd call them what they are: a criminal. So why the fuck are we bending over backwards to find polite terms for people who are, quite literally, advocating for the destruction of entire communities?
When we use euphemisms like "protestor" to describe rioting, rabid, dogshit neo-Nazis, we're not just being inaccurate – we're actively contributing to the normalization of their ideology.
This tendency to soften our language when it comes to extremist ideologies isn't evenly applied. We don't hesitate to use harsh, condemnatory language when talking about other forms of violent extremism. We don't call ISIS members "religious freedom activists" or refer to cartel enforcers as "pharmaceutical distribution protestors." So why the kid gloves when it comes to neo-Nazis?"
https://joanwestenberg.com/nazis-arent-protestors-theyre-wankers