Fact check: Are there craigslist ads for people to riot in LA?

1. Summary of the results

The Craigslist ad in question did exist but was definitively proven to be a prank created by podcasters Joey LaFleur and Logan Quiroz for their show "Goofcon1" ^[1]. The ad was posted on June 5, 2025, one day before the Los Angeles immigration protests began ^[1]. The advertisement offered between $6,500 to $12,500 per week for "extremely tough, brave men" ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several crucial pieces of context are missing from the original question:

• The timing is significant: the ad was posted one day before the actual protests began, making it a coincidental rather than causal relationship ^[3]
• The creator, Joey LaFleur, has explicitly confirmed to multiple reputable sources, including the Associated Press and Snopes, that the ad was purely a comedic prank ^[1]
• The ad gained significant viral traction on social media platforms like X and TikTok, despite having no connection to the actual protests ^[3]
• LaFleur himself expressed surprise at how the ad became connected to the protests, describing it as a "weird coincidence" ^[2]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question reflects a broader pattern of misinformation regarding paid protesters and organized riots:

• The question itself perpetuates a common conspiracy theory about paid protesters, which has been definitively proven false in this case ^[4]
• Social media platforms have amplified this misinformation by connecting two unrelated events: a comedy podcast prank and legitimate protests ^[3]
• Those who benefit from spreading such misinformation include:
• Political actors who wish to delegitimize genuine protests
• Social media content creators who gain engagement from controversial claims
• Those who wish to discredit immigration-related protests by suggesting they are artificially organized

The claim has been rated as definitively False by multiple fact-checkers ^[2].