Mysterious Riot Gear Handed Out to LA Protesters Raises Questions

TV cameras have captured boxes of “bionic shields” being distributed to protesters in Los Angeles on Monday.

Footage of the scene showed boxes of solid, full-face masks—almost akin to helmets—being handed out from the back of a pickup truck by two women while a masked driver waited for them to unload the goods.

The footage has sparked concerns among some that external agitators are facilitating riots by equipping crowds for potential clashes with the police or National Guard. However, others say the masks are safety gear, worn as a precaution after protesters were injured by rubber bullets that the authorities fired.

Newsweek has contacted the Los Angeles Police Department for comment via email.

Why It Matters

Los Angeles has seen days of protests that have tipped over into violence and riots on occasion. Demonstrators are marching against a series of raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement that target undocumented migrants as part of President Donald Trump‘s vow for mass deportations.

Footage of protective equipment being handed out to protesters in the California city has sparked concerns that unknown organizers are kitting-out the crowds in riot gear.

Trump has criticized mask-wearing demonstrators, saying the protests are being fueled “by instigators and often paid troublemakers.” However, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has said it is the federal government that has provoked unrest by sending in the National Guard to justify a Trump power grab across the state.

What To Know

Bionic shields are full-face, transparent visors that are marketed online as a work tool. They can protect against flying debris and chemical splashes and are recommended, for example, for those working as machinists or mechanics in auto body shops.

On Monday, a Fox 11 news crew caught the apparent mask distribution on camera while filming outside the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building by the intersection of Temple Street and Los Angeles Street, where crowds were gathering as National Guard officers lined the steps of the building.

Reporter Matthew Seedorff described a sense of tension in the air and said he had seen cars doing “doughnuts” in the street in full view of the police. The camera then zoomed-in on a black pickup with a woman standing in the back of the truck and handing out boxes of face shields to the crowd. Another woman appeared to be helping her from the ground.

Dozens of boxes appeared to be distributed, and several masked and hooded protesters were seen opening the boxes to access the masks before discarding the empty boxes on the street.

The masks, which retail at about $60 each, appeared to be brand-new as they were still in plastic wrap inside the cardboard boxes.

A Fox News report said cameras had shown riot shields and gas masks being handed out.

What People Are Saying

Fox LA anchor Elex Michaelson wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “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?”

Eric Daugherty, the assistant news director of Florida’s Voice, shared the Fox footage on X, adding: “WTF? PAID-FOR ‘bionic shields’ are being trucked in for the Los Angeles rioters. These cost around $60, each…and there are BOXES and BOXES of them being handed out. ‘That’s not the kind of thing that you buy in bulk if you don’t plan on doing something with it…’ They are planning for a CLASH.”

Hasan Piker, a political commentator and online streamer with 1.5 million followers on X, said in response to Michaelson’s post: “Elex this is for basic safety that mutual aid groups hand out alongside ear protection, respirators and goggles. it’s to ensure people aren’t harmed by cops shooting projectiles.”