"These were not 'looters.' The [Boston Marathon] organizers dropped the boxes off and told people to take them. Their idea was that it would help with the cold and at that point...no one cared about cost," said one user on Reddit in response to the "looting" video.
"I WAS THERE. THEY WERE GIVING THEM AWAY to comfort injured or those who could not go back to hotel. The guy whom you can see carrying the boxes brought them to us. Yes, some people took advantage of? it, what can you do, but it's not looting what you see," another user commented.
http://www.latinospost.com/articles/16802/20130417/looting-boston-marathon-witnesses-people-gathering-goods-help-those-wounded.htm