Fact check: Are la rioters claiming to be paid

1. Summary of the results

The claim about LA protesters being paid is demonstrably false. A viral Craigslist ad that was used to support these allegations was actually a prank created by comedy show hosts Joey LaFleur and Logan Quiroz for their show "Goofcon1" ^[1]. The ad was posted before the protests even began and had no connection to the actual demonstrations ^[1].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

• President Trump has made claims about protesters being paid, though he provided no evidence to support these allegations ^[2]
• Experts note that accusations of "paid instigators" are a common occurrence during protests, but these claims typically lack concrete evidence ^[3]
• These allegations are often used as a political tactic to delegitimize protest movements ^[3]
• Determining the true origins and motivations of protest participants is extremely challenging ^[3]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

• The spread of this misinformation appears to be part of a larger coordinated effort to create negative perceptions about the demonstrations and immigrant protesters ^[4]
• Social media platforms have been actively used to circulate these false narratives, with the fake Craigslist ad receiving tens of thousands of likes and shares ^{[1] [4]}
• Those who benefit from such narratives include:
• Political figures seeking to discredit protest movements ^[3]
• Groups attempting to stoke outrage and confusion about the protests ^[4]
• Social media personalities and platforms that benefit from increased engagement through controversial content

The persistence of these claims, despite being debunked, demonstrates how misinformation can continue to circulate and influence public perception even after being proven false.