Don't support his ideology but he most certainly did not start this.
I can't help but agree with the defense... the police are seen refusing to help, and elected officials are encouraging and praising violence. For months straight. Literal bolsheviks are marching through the streets of dozens of cities and hundreds of towns, smashing and burning, with no end in sight? Homes and businesses invaded and vandalized, people beaten in the streets? Sole defenders charged, and groups of attackers set free? It was not unreasonable to expect violence from this person, or to think more people may be involved. It's essentially like seeing someone in a uniform, or gang colors.
I go back to my old "NES moonwalking" theory of bad shoots. Physically moving away from a victim is not necessarily "retreating". And "retreat" typically refers to withdrawing from an advance position, not leaving the field entirely. "Retreat, Regroup, and Re-Engage" means nothing to most people, especially not newsmen, judges, or prosecutors. Nor does "Tactical Withdrawal". Turning away... to put leverage into the swing of a punch, or a weapon? Running away... to recover a weapon, or lead the victim to your friends? Driving away, or pulling a u-turn in your multi-ton high speed murder weapon? If you're the instigator, and you're done engaging, put your hands up and be very, very still - maybe say "I surrender" to the person you were trying to victimize - and wait for your bracelets. That goes double for when you're invading someone else's property. That would probably work out better for everyone.
It's a shame that stand your ground laws in public are not nation-wide, but even more of a shame that only a few states acknowledge that people on private property should be given far more deference in dealing with trespassers, thieves and attackers. A crime is certainly more brazen when it occurs on another persons property, especially when they are there without permission (i.e. not a fight at a party with an invited guest). Even in MA you see huge differences between the brazenness of crimes in the day vs the night, in how it may be addressed by both home owners and the courts. The last 50-70 years have really turned the world upside down in terms of the "rights" of people who rob, vandalize, and assault people on their own property. It's unAmerican.
The defense is on point about the flag, too... if it were any other flag (except maybe the US one) we'd be looking at "hate crime" charges. But WAIT - that bill of rights thingummy only works for restraining government, right? Y'know except in private citizens hiring, offering public accommodations, speaking naughty words which might seem intimidating to the thing skinned, refusing service, not baking a cake, advertising a product, commenting on crime statistics, offering a loan... Yeah, except those things, that's where the bill of rights is about God given rights rather than restrictions on government.
26 isn't a "kid". As a female especially, that pre-frontal lobe is fully f***ing developed. A 26 year old female is a scant few years away from being a "geriatric mother" if pregnant. Antifa wannabe loon out vandalising people's homes? PSGWSP. The marxist iteration of the pride flag is basically the new swastika, except even detestable nazis weren't low key pedophile apologists. I don't see too many overcome with an urge to steal them from private homes...