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Fact check: Which political groups or individuals are alleged to support LA protest movements financially?
1. Summary of the results
Several organizations and entities have been alleged to provide financial support to LA protest movements, though many claims remain unverified:
*Confirmed Financial Connections:
- CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights) received $34 million in government contracts in 2023 and previously received $193,030 in Biden administration grants [1]
- Unión del Barrio claims to be self-financed through membership dues and community donations [2]
- NDLON operates as a 501(c)[3] charity funded by donations [2]
Alleged but Unverified Connections:
- The Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) is linked to the Singham Network, which allegedly has connections to the Chinese Communist Party [4]
- FBI is investigating monetary connections behind the riots, with Director Kash Patel leading the investigation [4]
**2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints**
Several important contextual elements are missing from the original question:
- CHIRLA explicitly denies involvement in protests beyond organizing a press conference and rally [5]
- Many viral social media posts claiming protesters were "government-backed or funded" have been identified as unverified conspiracy theories [6]
- Claims about wealthy donors like George Soros funding protests have been repeatedly debunked [7]
- The Mexican government's rhetoric is alleged to have influenced tensions, though not necessarily through direct financial support [4]
**3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement**
The question itself contains inherent assumptions that need addressing:
Sources of Bias:
- Political figures like Senator Josh Hawley benefit from investigating and highlighting potential foreign influence in protests [5]
- Conservative media benefits from promoting narratives about "professional rabble-rousers" and paid protesters [4]
- Social media engagement metrics benefit from spreading unverified conspiracy theories about protest funding [8]
Key Distinction:*
It's crucial to differentiate between organizations that receive funding for legitimate advocacy work and direct funding of protests. Many organizations mentioned operate legally and transparently, while claims of direct protest funding remain largely unsubstantiated.