Intimidation is the weapon of choice for fascists. They can always count on some bottom feeder to do their dirty work while remaining just removed enough to claim plausible deniability. However, that doesn't work as well for elected officials and appointees who are expected to maintain order as their primary duty.

If law enforcement stops at the bottom feeder level without pursuing the instigators the borderline treason will never be taken off the table as a political tool. This is why this, as well as the Jan 6th insurrectionists, need to be shown the entire letter of the law that keeps our society from cascade collapse into violent anarchist rule.