President Donald Trump's claim that 'paid agitators' are wreaking havoc in Los Angeles has raised questions about the protest groups and dark money flows from billionaires that may be behind the chaos in America's second-biggest city.
Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Trump described some LA protestors as 'paid insurrectionist or agitator or troublemakers,' suggesting they were financed by clandestine groups, which the president did not name.
His comments heightened scrutiny over the protests, which erupted in downtown LA on Friday in response to federal immigration raids and escalated into clashes with law enforcers, property being vandalized and rampant looting.
The masks and other gear worn by some protestors, and trademark riot techniques such as breaking apart curbs to lob concrete at police vehicles, have raised questions about whether experienced agitators are involved.
