Riots, Protests, and Funding
Truth, Not Fear
Hi friends,
What’s been happening in Los Angeles isn’t just another protest. It’s part of a growing, coordinated effort to undermine national law, redefine the meaning of “insurrection,” and erode the foundations of American sovereignty—all while the media runs cover.
From June 6 to 11, 2025 (so far), the streets of Los Angeles erupted in violence—federal offices targeted, American flags burned, law enforcement attacked, and more than 200 arrests made. These weren’t spontaneous acts of rage. They were orchestrated, funded, and protected by a well-connected activist network with deep political ties and international backing.
At the center of it all is a disturbing double standard:
Federal action under a conservative president is labeled “fascist.”
Coordinated chaos under leftist banners is called “free speech” or “peaceful protest”.
This piece is a fact-based rebuttal to the left’s prevailing narrative. It presents the timeline of events, names the funders behind the protests, outlines the legal definitions being manipulated, and explains how America’s rule of law is being challenged—not by patriots or protesters, but by ideologues using ‘democracy’ to dismantle it.
We will also preview the June 14 protest—conveniently timed to coincide with Flag Day, the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, and President Trump’s birthday—and ask why this “No Kings” movement has attracted so much institutional cover while breaking so many laws.
This is not a reason to fear—but to share the truth. If we lose our grip on the truth, we may soon lose far more.
(Note: If your email truncates this post, got to RationalAmerican.org.)
PART 1: The Riots in Los Angeles (June 6–11) — Timeline & Official Responses
🗓️ TIMELINE OF EVENTS: JUNE 6–11, 2025
June 6, 2025 (Friday):
Protests began in response to ICE immigration raids in Southern California, which targeted previously deported individuals, including violent offenders.
Demonstrations broke out in several cities including Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Diego.
Initial gatherings were relatively peaceful but increasingly confrontational by nightfall.
Protesters rally in Los Angeles following ICE immigration raids
June 7, 2025 (Saturday):
President Trump authorized deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops, with 700 Marines placed on standby.
California Governor Gavin Newsom publicly denounced the deployment as an overreach of federal power and signaled potential legal action.
Protesters in LA became more aggressive; reports of vandalism, assaults on law enforcement, and barricade fires began to emerge.
June 8, 2025 (Sunday):
National Guard forces began arriving in Los Angeles. Local officials attempted to downplay the violence, calling for calm but avoiding direct intervention.
Videos circulated showing ICE vehicles being attacked and U.S. flags burned.
Governor Newsom filed a lawsuit seeking to block the deployment—a request that was later denied by a federal judge.
Trump deploys National Guard as Los Angeles protests against immigration agents continue
June 9, 2025 (Monday):
Riots intensified in downtown Los Angeles. Protesters surrounded ICE field offices and defaced government buildings.
Protesters were seen waving foreign flags, burning American flags, and chanting anti-ICE, anti-border slogans.
Initial LAPD response was limited, and officials declared the protests largely “peaceful,” even as looting and clashes broke out.
Online posts (such as from @ImMeme0) showed protesters mocking citizens just trying to get to work:
https://x.com/ImMeme0/status/1931892841342484714LAPD maintained a limited presence during the day, but clashes erupted at night between protesters and law enforcement.
Several arrests occurred, though LAPD did not release full numbers.
California governor calls Trump National Guard deployment in LA unlawful
June 10, 2025 (Tuesday):
Riots intensified. Fires were set, ICE field offices were surrounded, and public property was defaced.
Federal agencies confirmed that over 200 arrests had been made across LA for violations including unlawful assembly, curfew violations, weapons possession, and assault.
According to The Guardian:
“Police arrested just over 200 people for allegedly failing to disperse, while there were 17 arrests for curfew violations, three for firearm possession, and one for assault with a deadly weapon. Two officers were injured.”
— The Guardian, June 11, 2025
California Governor Gavin Newsom attempted to stop federal authorities from deploying the National Guard, filing an emergency motion. A federal judge rejected Newsom’s request, stating the president was acting within lawful authority.
Source: The Daily Signal, June 10, 2025
National Guard and Marine presence expanded to over 4,000 personnel.
Curfews were announced in downtown LA. Mass arrests were made in the evening.
According to The Guardian:
“Police arrested just over 200 people for allegedly failing to disperse, while there were 17 arrests for curfew violations, three for firearm possession, and one for assault with a deadly weapon. Two officers were injured.”
— The Guardian, June 11, 2025
Trump administration deploys Marines to Los Angeles, vows to intensify migrant raids
June 11, 2025 (Wednesday):
Troops continued coordination with ICE and DHS to protect federal facilities and restore order.
Streets were cleared using non-lethal crowd control equipment; large sections of downtown remained locked down.
Tensions flared as mass arrests resumed and several streets were cleared using crowd control equipment.
Protest groups escalated calls for a “nationwide day of resistance” scheduled for June 14 (Flag Day, U.S. Army 250th anniversary, and Trump’s birthday).
The Federalist reported that many migrants being defended by protesters had serious criminal records:
Trump wants to 'liberate' Los Angeles, residents say 'no thanks'
🎙️ OFFICIAL RESPONSES FROM NEWSOM, BASS & TRUMP
🟦 Governor Gavin Newsom:
Newsom initially denied any coordination with federal authorities. In a now widely-circulated post on X (formerly Twitter), he claimed:
“There was no call. Not even a voicemail. Americans should be alarmed that a President deploying Marines onto our streets doesn’t even know who he’s talking to.”
— [Gavin Newsom, X Post]
This directly contradicted President Trump's own statement at a press conference, where he said:
“A day ago. Called him up to tell him, gotta do a better job, he’s doing a bad job. Causing a lot of death and potential death.”
— [Trump press availability, Fox News, June 10]
Within hours, a screenshot was released by Trump allies showing an outgoing call to “Gavin Newsom” lasting 16 minutes, timestamped around 1:23 AM on June 7. This cast doubt on Newsom’s denial and raised questions about credibility.
🟥 Mayor Karen Bass:
Bass maintained a public stance of non-intervention, stating that:
“People have a right to express themselves, and we will work to keep everyone safe. We are not interested in criminalizing protest.”
However, backlash intensified after outlets like Off the Press resurfaced Bass’s prior affiliations with Cuban political entities, drawing attention to her long-standing ideological ties:
In a now-viral moment, law enforcement sources told The Federalist that LA’s leadership had been “slow-walking” cooperation with ICE, even advising officers to “stand down” during the first wave of protests:
🧾 Initial Takeaways:
The LA unrest was not “spontaneous” or “peaceful” as some headlines claimed—it was coordinated, ideologically charged, and connected to broader anti-immigration enforcement opposition.
Newsom’s public statements were contradicted by evidence, weakening claims that federal involvement was reckless or unauthorized.
Mayor Bass’s posture of leniency has deep roots, and many critics argue her ideological leanings may have encouraged lax enforcement.
🧱 PART 2: The Next Flashpoint — June 14 Protest & the Symbolism Behind It
🎯 Upcoming Protest: June 14, 2025
On the heels of the violent anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles, a coalition of activist groups is planning a “national day of resistance” on Friday, June 14, centered around coordinated protests in major cities. The event is being organized under the banner “No Kings” (nokings.org)—a loosely affiliated network of left-wing protest groups - and their funders - that promote open borders, police abolition, and “resistance to state violence.”
Their stated justification: “Opposing fascism and militarization in America.”
Their unstated strategy: targeting institutions of national sovereignty, with immigration enforcement as the latest battlefield.
According to archived previews and promotional materials shared on social media (e.g., @bennyjohnson, June 11), the symbolic significance of June 14 is intentional:
It’s Flag Day in the United States.
It’s President Trump’s birthday.
And critically—it marks the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, formed June 14, 1775.
In other words, the “No Kings” protest movement has deliberately chosen a day celebrating America’s military birth to protest… the modern American military. The irony is not lost on many observers.
🧵 What Do They Want? Who's Behind It?
“No Kings” may be the face, but the funding and strategy run deeper.
🏢 Known Partners & Funders:
Tides Foundation – A progressive grantmaking network long known for funding leftist causes, including BLM, environmental extremism, and immigration activism.
Open Society Foundations (George Soros) – Repeatedly linked to groups advocating for ICE abolition and open borders.
National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) – Has sponsored protests targeting immigration enforcement and police cooperation with ICE.
Immigrant Defense Project – Offers legal guidance on evading ICE and resisting deportations.
Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) – One of the umbrella entities often associated with “No Kings”-style organizing.
Although No Kings itself may not file 990s (it appears to be an unincorporated movement), its affiliates have received millions in combined funding from the above organizations, according to compiled data from Open the Books:
🧠 Why the Timing Matters
Activists know the optics. Choosing June 14 isn’t just about trolling President Trump on his birthday—it’s about reframing American history to serve a radical political narrative.
They aim to:
Associate ICE enforcement with fascism
Undermine patriotic sentiment by mocking national symbols
Normalize resistance to federal authority, including law enforcement and the military
Victor Davis Hanson aptly noted this inversion:
“We’re watching neoconfederates burn the American flag while waving foreign ones… They’re not protesting America—they’re fighting for nullification.”
— Victor Davis Hanson, RealClearPolitics, June 9, 2025
⚠️ Strategic Risks Ahead
Law enforcement agencies across Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois have reportedly received DHS bulletins warning of:
“Coordinated mobilizations near federal facilities”
“Attempts to incite violence under the guise of protest”
“Foreign-linked messaging campaigns targeting Latino and Arab communities”
Sources suggest that intelligence indicates some organizers are working from the same playbook used during BLM and anti-Israel protests—a combination of viral disinformation, legal obfuscation, and mass direct action.
As outlined in The Federalist and Daily Signal, the foreign influence angle—especially Mexico’s recent threats to “mobilize” against U.S. immigration policy—adds another troubling layer:
🧱 PART 3: Follow the Money — Who’s Fueling the Chaos?
Understanding the chaos in Los Angeles—and the growing national protest network—requires looking deeper than the street level. Many of the protests are not spontaneous, but instead engineered by well-funded activist organizations. These groups often operate under humanitarian branding (sometimes NGOs that us tax dollars) while pursuing deeply political—and at times law-defying—agendas.
💸 The Funding Network: Top Orgs and Affiliates
Below is a list of key activist groups and the funding or support structures behind them. Several of these were involved—directly or indirectly—in organizing legal support, communications, or transportation during the LA riots and upcoming June 14 events.
1. Tides Foundation
Description: A central hub for progressive grantmaking. Provides “donor-advised funds” that allow individuals and institutions (like Silicon Valley billionaires) to anonymously fund radical causes.
Activity: Has funded dozens of anti-border and anti-police groups.
2025 Role: Multiple LA protest-affiliated NGOs received money via Tides intermediaries.
Source: OpenTheBooks Report – June 2025
2. Open Society Foundations (George Soros)
Description: One of the largest global funders of progressive causes, known for backing criminal justice reform, immigration leniency, and transnational activism.
Activity: Funded local bail funds, legal defense for “asylum seekers,” and groups that openly call for ICE’s abolition.
Criticism: OSF is frequently linked to legal and lobbying campaigns that blur the line between activism and foreign influence.
3. NDLON (National Day Laborer Organizing Network)
Description: Advocates for illegal immigrants and day laborers. Regularly opposes ICE operations and promotes "sanctuary city" policies.
Tactics: Known to offer real-time alerts on immigration raids, direct legal defense, and public protest coordination.
History: Played a similar role during previous DHS crackdowns in 2018–2020.
4. Immigrant Defense Project (IDP)
Description: NY-based org offering legal strategies for resisting deportation.
Notable Action: Created “ICE Raid Toolkit” that encourages targets to remain silent, resist entry, and mobilize community defense.
Ties: Frequently collaborates with ACLU, DSA, and other hard-left networks.
5. Movement for Black Lives (M4BL)
Description: Umbrella coalition affiliated with Black Lives Matter; supports defunding police and dismantling capitalism.
Recent Focus: Positioning immigrant enforcement as a form of “state violence.”
Funding: Received an estimated $100 million in pooled donations post-2020, some of which continues to fund on-the-ground protest operations.
🧠 Their Stated Goals — and the Real Agenda
The slogans change—from “No Justice, No Peace” to “Abolish ICE”—but the mission remains consistent:
Disrupt federal authority, reframe law enforcement as oppression, and shift public opinion through sustained chaos.
As Tierney Real News Network put it in their multi-part exposé:
“This isn’t just a protest. It’s a war against the concept of national borders and equal justice under law. They’re not asking for change—they’re demanding surrender.”
Sources: - https://tierneyrealnewsnetwork.substack.com/p/the-real-insurrection
⚖️ Legal Loopholes and Laundering of Intent
Many of these groups maintain 501(c)(3) nonprofit status while clearly engaging in partisan action, or even incitement.
Others use “fiscal sponsorship” shells to funnel money through neutral-sounding intermediaries. This gives cover to political action without risking tax exemption.
Local governments, including California’s own budget, have quietly funded activist causes under the guise of “community development” or “public safety reimagining.”
Example: Open the Books discovered $30+ million in grants to activist NGOs, paid by California taxpayers between 2022–2024, many of which have ties to current unrest.
🧾 Bottom Line:
The LA riots and planned June 14 actions aren’t grassroots—they are well-oiled, well-funded political machines operating under the radar of most Americans.
These groups rely on legal ambiguity, emotional rhetoric, and institutional cover to maintain influence—and to stay untouchable.
🧱 PART 4: What Counts as an “Insurrection”? Rewriting Language, Rewriting the Nation
To understand the ongoing protests and riots in Los Angeles—and their planned escalation nationwide—it’s not enough to look at who is funding them. We must examine the words being used, the laws being circumvented, and the ideas being implanted into the American public psyche.
At the center of this battle is one word: insurrection.
📖 Defining “Insurrection”: Language Games with Legal Consequences
The term “insurrection” has been wielded heavily by the left since January 6, 2021, but largely ignored or redefined when protest violence benefits progressive causes.
From Coffee & Covid (June 10, 2025):
“Insurrection is generally defined as a violent revolt or rebellion against the government… In other words, an insurrection isn’t about the level of violence; it’s about the target and purpose of it.”
That’s important. The key feature of an insurrection is its target: the government itself—not merely whether property is damaged or crowds are unruly.
Now consider:
On January 6, 2021, protestors breached the Capitol to protest a certification vote—a government function.
In June 2025, LA protestors set fire to flags, stormed federal ICE buildings, and defied curfews with the explicit goal of resisting immigration enforcement by the United States government.
By every classical and historical definition, the LA protests meet or exceed the standard for “insurrection.”
Compare the two events and decide for yourself.
📜 Historic Reference: The Riot Act of 1715
Long before hashtags and Substacks, Great Britain’s Riot Act of 1715 defined insurrection this way:
“Any tumultuous assembly, whether or not explicitly violent, constituted an insurrection against lawful authority.”
The government didn’t wait for protesters to issue manifestos. If a mob assembled and refused to disband, that was enough.
Compare that to what we’ve been seeing in LA:
Crowds ignoring lawful dispersal orders
Assaults on federal buildings
Coordinated obstruction of law enforcement operations
Destruction of property
Violence aimed and law enforcement, military, and National Guard
And yet, corporate media headlines avoided the word “insurrection” like the plague.
Instead, headlines from outlets like Time reframed the issue as a legitimate uprising against unjust laws, equating LA with civil rights-era protests:
This redefinition weaponizes language to shield certain ideological causes from accountability while demonizing others.
🧠 The Left’s Tactical Reframing: Riots as “Speech,” Nullification as “Justice”
As Victor Davis Hanson wrote:
“The rioters are not demanding reform—they’re engaging in nullification. They want federal law to be suspended if it interferes with their preferred narrative.”
— RealClearPolitics, June 9, 2025
Nullification—rejecting the authority of federal law—is what the Southern states tried to do before the Civil War.
And now it’s resurfacing—not from states’ rights advocates, but from radical activists and sanctuary city officials who openly defy immigration law.
Mayor Karen Bass’ city council members reportedly advised LAPD to “avoid cooperation with ICE under any circumstances.”
This type of deliberate defiance mirrors past nullification efforts—and puts local law enforcement in direct tension with federal agencies, creating legal and constitutional instability.
⚖️ The Threat to American Law and Order
The net effect of all this is to erode respect for the rule of law:
Laws are obeyed only if they align with leftist ideology.
Riots are minimized or praised if they serve the “correct” cause.
The word “insurrection” is reserved for political enemies, regardless of actual actions.
This isn’t just selective enforcement. It’s ideological lawfare by redefinition—a manipulation of public perception that undermines objective justice.
🧱 PART 5: The Real Threat — Not Protest, But Weaponized Chaos
The violence in Los Angeles—and the broader, coordinated “No Kings” movement—is not about isolated protest. It’s about testing the system: how far activists can go, how much they can defy law enforcement, and how deeply they can manipulate public perception before the system buckles.
We are witnessing:
Sanctioned lawlessness disguised as civil rights advocacy
Foreign ideological influence masked as grassroots resistance
Rewriting of language and law to punish some protests and protect others
And while the press obsesses over narratives, the consequences grow more dangerous by the day.
🔄 The Double Standard Is Deliberate
Consider:
If a group stormed an ICE office waving American flags to protest sanctuary cities, media outlets would call it fascism.
But when masked protestors storm the same buildings waving Palestinian flags or burning U.S. ones, it’s labeled “a necessary outcry.”
The same media outlets that called January 6 “an attack on democracy” now shrug at attacks on ICE, the military, and federal officers.
The real distinction is not violence vs. nonviolence, but left vs. right.
“It’s not hypocrisy. It’s hierarchy.”
— Jeff Childers, Coffee & Covid
The goal isn’t consistency—it’s control.
⚖️ Constitutional Chaos by Design
When governors like Newsom deny coordination with federal authorities (despite call logs showing otherwise), or when mayors like Bass refuse to cooperate with ICE while violent mobs attack city streets, we are no longer in a space of policy disagreement.
We are in a crisis of governance.
These officials are:
Openly nullifying federal law
Shielding foreign nationals from lawful arrest
Using taxpayer funds to enable political violence
This is the opposite of lawful dissent. It is, by every legal and historical standard, insurrectionist behavior—but tolerated (and even funded) because it comes from the side of the ideological spectrum.
🔔 What Can Be Done?
1. Call it what it is.
Stop using euphemisms. These are not “mostly peaceful protests.” When federal officers are assaulted, flags are burned, and ICE is under siege, it's organized rebellion.
2. Defend lawful authority.
Support constitutional enforcement. The National Guard, ICE, and local police officers doing their jobs are not villains. They are defending the rule of law that holds this republic together.
3. Expose the money trail.
From Tides to Open Society, the groups fueling this chaos must be named. Transparency kills manipulation. Sunshine is the disinfectant.
4. Push back against media spin.
Demand honest language. When “insurrection” is redefined to fit one side only, language becomes propaganda. And propaganda kills liberty.
5. Stay engaged.
Don’t retreat from the fight for truth and accountability. Educate others. Share accurate timelines. Challenge double standards in your school boards, local newsrooms, and city councils.
🛡️ In Conclusion: This Isn’t the End—It’s a Warning
June 2025 has proven what many already suspected: political violence isn’t just tolerated when it suits the left—it’s cultivated. But Americans across all walks of life are waking up. Many don’t agree with everything President Trump says or does—but they see the breakdown and they know who’s responsible.
This isn’t a matter of left vs. right anymore.
It’s order vs. chaos. Liberty vs. coercion. Citizenship vs. mob rule.
And history will remember who stood firm.
Sources:
https://x.com/SenFettermanPA/status/1932234335425323417
As always, do your own research; make up your own mind.
References to other sources do not necessarily reflect my opinions, and I make no claim to their veracity or completeness. I provide them for your consideration.
(AI may have been used in this article.)
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