'Red flags' expose paid agitators in violent anti-ICE riots, CEO say
Crowds on Demand CEO points to tactical gear and rapid deployment as telltale indicators of funded agitator
By Stepheny Price Fox News
Published June 21, 2025 8:00am EDT
As tensions rise about who is behind the violent anti-ICE riots, a California-based company that specializes in providing on-demand crowds for protests says there are indicators to spot the difference between hired demonstrators and normal crowds.
"We receive inquiries regarding practically every major social cause imaginable, and the anti-ICE demonstrations are no exception," Adam Swart, the CEO and founder of Crowds on Demand, told Fox News Digital. "The fact that we receive requests does not mean we take them, in many cases because the budget does not match the ambition."
Swart added that they have received "numerous high budget requests" regarding the anti-ICE demonstrations, but declined those offers due to the fact "that they do not want to get close to any form of illegal activity, including violence, vandalism or blocking off roads without a permit."
Swart, who started Crowds on Demand in 2012 when he was a student at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) to "change how advocacy is done," shared how they support causes and how to spot if these protests are tied to other companies and organizations.
Spotting ‘bad actors’Swart said one way to know the difference between his crowd and those who are hired by other companies is if those "paid protest teams are kept on standby."
"These groups deploy protesters within minutes using geolocation tools and encrypted chats," Swart said.
He added that "only compensated activists move that fast."
more
https://www.foxnews.com/us/red-flags-expose-paid-agitators-violent-anti-ice-riots-ceo-says
