On Monday night, it seemed as though law enforcement was heavily present to handle the riots in Los Angeles. Nonetheless, Fox News noted an intriguing occurrence earlier that evening.
Fox’s Bill Melugin reported how “hundreds” showed up out of nowhere, some with foreign flags.
🚨WHERE DID THEY COME FROM: Fox News’ @BillMelugin_ is SURPRISED by a seemingly random assembly of hundreds of people who appeared unexpectedly to protest in Los Angeles:
“They’ve taken over the street.” pic.twitter.com/DcvriAVxsh
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) June 10, 2025
Then they reported that people were being given earplugs, gas masks, and water bottles, not to drink but to toss at the cops.
🚨 #BREAKING: Rioters are being given earplugs, gas masks, and water bottles to throw at police, per @BillMelugin_
FOX LA also reporting TRUCKLOADS of bionic shields, which cost $60+ each, are being delivered to rioters.
There is NOTHING organic about this. WHO IS FUNDING IT? pic.twitter.com/kkjZIR9qES
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 10, 2025
Melugin also said people were communicating by radio to let others know where the police movements were.
UPDATE: The LAPD has reported making 50 arrests during the weekend riots, with charges of attempted murder involving a Molotov cocktail, and assault with a deadly weapon on an officer. Additionally, five officers along with five LAPD horses received minor injuries, while the crowds were reported using hand…
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) June 9, 2025
Five officers and five LAPD horses have sustained minor injuries, and crowds were using hand held radios to communicate law enforcement movements to eachother, LAPD says.
But this was perhaps the most intriguing moment, from the local Fox affiliate: the video of the truck pulling up, just giving away bionic face shields.
ICYMI: Here’s the moment a pickup truck dropped off boxes of face shields in downtown LA during our live report on @FOXLA with @Elex_Michaelson and @DevineNews pic.twitter.com/4JZYE69dMg
— Matthew Seedorff (@MattSeedorff) June 10, 2025
Fox LA’s Elex Michaelson also commented, asking who was funding this.
#BREAKING We just saw people arrive in Downtown L.A. with truck loads of Bionic Face Shields that demonstrators quickly grabbed.
It certainly seems like gear you’d wear if you’re preparing for conflict with police.
Who is funding this? pic.twitter.com/2hZphafOsi
— Elex Michaelson (@Elex_Michaelson) June 10, 2025
Sounded like the reporters couldn’t quite believe it.
There were a bunch of them in the truck, as well as boxes of something else. The UVEX bionic face shields appear to run from about $35-60 online depending on where you get them from. You’re not going to wear that just to “protest,” as the reporters noted, you’re going to wear that because you anticipate being involved in a confrontation with the police.
Meanwhile, Democrats are blaming Trump and ICE, with Mayor Karen Bass saying the answer is to “stop” the ICE raids and people like Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) pretending there was no violence.
