Quote:    CLAIM: A Craigslist ad seeking “the toughest badasses in the city” is proof that Los Angeles demonstrations over immigration raids are made up of paid protesters.
    THE FACTS: This is false. The ad, which appeared in Craigslist's Los Angeles section for general labor jobs, was bait for a prank show and had nothing to do with the protests in Los Angeles, the ad's creator told The Associated Press. It was posted on Thursday, the day before the protests began. In a livestreamed episode on Friday, the show's hosts called and spoke with people who responded to the ad.
   
    “I literally had no idea it was ever going to be connected to the riots. It was a really weird coincidence,” said Joey LaFleur, who posted the ad on Craigslist.
    The ad was developed as part of a new prank show called “Goofcon1,” said LaFleur, who hosts the podcast with Logan Quiroz. On their show Friday, the day protests began, they spoke live on the phone with people who responded during Goofcon1’s third episode.

(06-11-2025, 12:59 AM)Michigan Swamp Buck Wrote: "FACT FOCUS: A Craigslist Ad Is Not Proof of Paid Protesters in LA. It Was Posted as a Prank"

Quote:    CLAIM: A Craigslist ad seeking “the toughest badasses in the city” is proof that Los Angeles demonstrations over immigration raids are made up of paid protesters.
    THE FACTS: This is false. The ad, which appeared in Craigslist's Los Angeles section for general labor jobs, was bait for a prank show and had nothing to do with the protests in Los Angeles, the ad's creator told The Associated Press. It was posted on Thursday, the day before the protests began. In a livestreamed episode on Friday, the show's hosts called and spoke with people who responded to the ad.
   
    “I literally had no idea it was ever going to be connected to the riots. It was a really weird coincidence,” said Joey LaFleur, who posted the ad on Craigslist.
    The ad was developed as part of a new prank show called “Goofcon1,” said LaFleur, who hosts the podcast with Logan Quiroz. On their show Friday, the day protests began, they spoke live on the phone with people who responded during Goofcon1’s third episode.

www.usnews.com

I've been seeing this going around but that was the only article I saw that explained it. I am not endorsing the Associate Press news wire service or any reports they are publishing.

(06-11-2025, 12:47 PM)Loadstain Wrote: LOS ANGELES — Leftwing nonprofit groups are openly helping to fuel anti-ICE riots here by handing out “F–k ICE” packs with protective equipment — as protesters continue to take over downtown every night and engage in rolling battles with cops, federal agents and National Guard troops. 

Chilling footage revealed one unidentified group handing out a truckload of face shields and other riot gear to protesters in downtown Los Angeles. 

Lefty nonprofits are openly fueling LA riots by handing out 'F--k ICE' protective gear

Organize Protests & Rallies for Advocacy | Social Cause Protesting | CROWDS ON DEMAND

Quote:Radical groups mobilize for "emergency protest"
On Friday, Unión del Barrio, a group with explicit Marxist-Leninist roots, issued a call to action on Facebook, urging followers to rally against what they called "ICE terrorists." The post claimed ICE was "kidnapping" hundreds of immigrants and holding them in the basement of the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building.

"Emergency protest TODAY in LA! 4:30 PM… Join us to denounce ICE terrorizing our communities!" the post declared.

Journalist Andy Ngo reported that Antifa and other far-left factions amplified the message, ensuring a volatile turnout. By evening, the scene outside the courthouse devolved into mayhem, with protesters blocking streets, hurling objects at law enforcement, and setting fires.

Quote:Unión del Barrio: The Mexican BLM?
A closer look at Unión del Barrio’s manifesto reveals alarming parallels to Black Lives Matter’s radical agenda. The group openly advocates for:

• The overthrow of U.S. capitalism and imperialism
  
• The abolition of ICE and border enforcement
  
• Socialist "pan-Latino unity" movements
  
• Marxist indoctrination through youth programs like Escuelita Aztlán
  

Like BLM, Unión del Barrio operates as a revolutionary force, not a reformist one. Its goal isn’t policy change; it’s the dismantling of America itself.

Who’s funding the chaos?
Evidence suggests these protests were not spontaneous but meticulously organized and well-funded. Investigators point to groups like the Coalition for Humane Immigration Rights (CHIRLA), which saw its government grants skyrocket from $12 million to $34 million in just one year. While CHIRLA’s executive director, Angelica Salas, frames the issue in humanitarian terms ("These are workers, these are fathers, these are mothers"), the reality is far more sinister.

Billionaire Neville Singham, a known financier of communist causes, has funneled millions into radical organizations like the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), which played a visible role in the L.A. riots. Singham’s ties to Chinese propaganda networks raise even graver concerns about foreign influence in domestic unrest.

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene asked: "Is this war on ICE and America being funded by Neville Singham? Is it being funded by China?"

Quote:CONSPIRACY-PSEUDOSCIENCE
Sources in the Conspiracy-Pseudoscience category may publish unverifiable information that is not always supported by evidence. These sources may be untrustworthy for credible/verifiable information; therefore, fact-checking and further investigation is recommended on a per article basis when obtaining information from these sources. See all Conspiracy-Pseudoscience sources.

• Overall, we rate News Target a quackery level pseudoscience and a tin foil hat conspiracy website, as well as extreme right-wing biased. This is one of the most discredited sources on the internet.
  

Quote:LEFT-CENTER BIAS
These media sources have a slight to moderate liberal bias.  They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by appeals to emotion or stereotypes) to favor liberal causes.  These sources are generally trustworthy for information but may require further investigation. See all Left-Center sources.

• Overall, we rate the Associated Press as left-centered biased due to left-leaning editorializing of news stories and frequently conducting fact checks on conservatives. We also rate them High for factual reporting due to proper sourcing and a reasonable fact-check record.
  

(06-11-2025, 12:47 PM)Loadstain Wrote: LOS ANGELES — Leftwing nonprofit groups are openly helping to fuel anti-ICE riots here by handing out “F–k ICE” packs with protective equipment — as protesters continue to take over downtown every night and engage in rolling battles with cops, federal agents and National Guard troops. 

Chilling footage revealed one unidentified group handing out a truckload of face shields and other riot gear to protesters in downtown Los Angeles. 

Lefty nonprofits are openly fueling LA riots by handing out 'F--k ICE' protective gear




Organize Protests & Rallies for Advocacy | Social Cause Protesting | CROWDS ON DEMAND