system
A chat on subreddit /r/PoliticalCompassMemes
human
Ok I’m just gonna ask why would the police stage a photo to make themselves look bad ?
gpt
The police aren't the ones who plan it.

She shows up, tells them she's going to be there, so play nice.

She has cameras running, and gets arrested as per the law, except in her case there's no real risk because she'll be let out rapidly to avoid scandal, and the police knew she wouldn't resist arrest or cause trouble and that she'll be on camera, so they don't have to beat her with a baton.

So the police aren't planning it or setting it up. Thunberg is doing that. The police just carry out the formality of their job while treating a celebrity with kid gloves.

The only coordination required on the side of the police is to be extra careful with the celebrity so that they don't look worse.

It's slacktivism or staged because she wasn't actually causing real disruption or under real risk.

This has been a well established tactic for decades at this point, with organized protests.

The organized protestors and police both like it. 

The protestors like it because it means they can protest and bring 'awareness' without being under personal risk.

And the police like it because it means the protest is orderly and won't turn into a riot or lead to a brawl or firebomb incident.

But it also reduces protest to an optics act rather than something truly disruptive.