"But in certain quarters of the left — though not among Democratic elected officials — criticizing violent protest tactics is considered improper on the grounds that it distracts from deeper underlying injustice, and shifts the blame from police and other malefactors onto their victims."

Yeah, this is BS.

Opinions vary. Shouldn't they in a free society?

But mainly it's BS because the author of the editorial presumes to speak for, "the left."

Impossible.