It usually does backfire. This type of grassroot, anarchic revolutionary action is almost always put down by the power in place.
That's the Leftist trick, though, to force the government to put down a rebellion. Then the duly elected government can be portrayed in media worldwide (look what they did with the kid in a cage image) as being a bunch of jackbooted totalitarians. Cop hate and disdain for our military are served up daily in the media, and especially in large urban areas, disarmed populations are going to have a tough time defending themselves. Those who ignored the law to have the means are going to have it rough either way--don't defend and die, or defend and take their chances with police and the courts. We see this already.
Let's not fail to consider the 'community organizer' factor, with the leftist zampolits swarming the hoods and elsewhere, at some point these seemingly unrelated actions are indeed coordinated, at least more than the casual appearance of being anarchists would have us believe. Groups like ANTIFA don't just pop up by accident, someone gets recruited, and recruits others. Street gangs vary, but the Majors have their heirarchies, their command structures, their footsoldiers, too, and many are a fairly hardened bunch with little regard for law, and only the 'order' they impose.
Lest we forget, chaos is a tool ('Never let a crisis go to waste'), so always look beyond the immediate and try to discern the eventual goal. I believe it is to cause enough and widespread enough disarray and violence to hurt the economy, render the organs of government ineffective, and to loot, loot, loot. But they are looking for even more. The people on the top of this want to control, to rule, and to be the official courtesans to a ruling class they have craved. But behind it all, there are those who expect to profit handsomely.
