Michael -
I suspect it is spontaneous, not that some don’t make a deliberate effort to inflame passions.
I agree. It doesn’t seem to me to be particularly likely to be coordinated.
But I would add to your comment that seen within the larger context of partisan battling, there’s nothing unusual here. It’s more than just conspiracy-mongering about climate scientists – it’s reflective of the kind of tribalism that is endemic to virtually any controversy, because some people are willing to jettison principles of critical thinking to protect their cultural, social, or political allegiances.