Confirmation bias, absolutely. Every situation starts to take on racial connotations. Going through situations wondering if it is all in your head isn't fun either.
The lockdowns absolutely have something to do with it. When you are young and rambunctious you absolutely want to engage in hooliganism. Get a group of people like that together and they feed off eachother. Throw in rationalizations about racial justice, add on heaps of frustration and combine that with unemployment, bordem caused by months of lockdown...
Let's talk about the white guilt too. White saviors are out there projecting their own guilt onto others, blaming society etc. They can turn that guilt into heroism in their minds.
Then there is the general political hatred and divisive atmosphere. The whole thing is basically a perfect storm. To assume that no one would manipulate these forces for political gain seems like a huge leap.
Add all of these emotional factors together with a history of documented police abuse. Do protesters need a reason? Does it matter if it is entirely rational?
This is the situation we find ourselves in. The proposed solution is more political bickering and blaming. Extra points if you can guess where that will lead.