They have a pattern of trying something and seeing how far they can get. Then they’ll say it was an oversight or a joke.

Someone recently called it similar to “reconnaissance in force” by the military – you go out with an uncommitted force and learn from the kind of resistance you get so you can be more effective.

The point is “mistakes” like these are not benign, or at least should not be treated as benign, since we can’t ever really know for sure.