As protests erupted in Los Angeles over recent immigration raids, rumors began circulating on social media, falsely claiming that participants were being paid to join the demonstrations. These rumors stemmed from a Craigslist ad, wrongly cited as evidence of organized, paid involvement.
The Craigslist ad, now removed, called for individuals with descriptions like “the toughest dudes in the area.” The ad mentioned a weekly pay range of $6,500 to $12,500 for high-pressure, high-stakes involvement, leading many to believe it was connected to the protests. However, this ad was merely a prank and had no ties to the events unfolding in Los Angeles.
The claim under scrutiny was straightforward: a Craigslist advertisement supposedly recruited individuals for the Los Angeles demonstrations by offering financial compensation. However, this assertion was off the mark. Posted in the general labor section of Craigslist in Los Angeles, the ad was crafted as a gag for a prank show. The ad’s creator confirmed it was posted a day before protests commenced and was not linked to any organized demonstration activities.
Joey LaFleur, the individual behind the ad, explained that its creation was purely for a prank show called “Goofcon1.” LaFleur, co-hosting the show with Logan Quiroz, unexpectedly found the ad entangled with the protests. On the day protests began, the show aired live calls with individuals who responded to the ad. LaFleur also mentioned that the prank stretched to another militaristic-style ad in Austin’s Craigslist section, which saw little engagement.
Images of the Craigslist post quickly spread across social media platforms, being used as so-called proof to assert that demonstrators in Los Angeles were financially motivated. These posts gathered thousands of interactions, with claims suggesting the protests were designed to destabilize the Trump administration. One particular post alleged the objective was to provoke chaos for financial gain through federal funding streams.
On TikTok, a video that was viewed over 14,100 times linked the ad to accusations of protesters being “paid agitators,” sparking further notions that the protests weren’t genuine or were manipulated by political operatives. The hasty and widespread sharing of these claims added fuel to the conspiracy theories about the demonstrations’ authenticity.
Reacting to the controversy, LaFleur addressed the situation on Instagram, noting his surprise at the unintended stir the prank caused. He humorously suggested that if he ended up on a news station over this mix-up, it could be entertaining. He emphasized that there was never an intention to mislead the public on such a significant event.
Claims about paid protesters are a familiar story in the landscape of demonstrations, particularly those that capture national or international focus. This isn’t the first occurrence; similar misinformation proliferated during the protests following George Floyd’s death in 2020.
In conclusion, the ad’s linkage to the Los Angeles protests was purely coincidental and misleading, exemplifying how false narratives can quickly gain traction in critical socio-political moments.