Chuck Holton
Politics • Culture • News
Chuck Holton is an American war correspondent, published author, and motivational speaker.
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How ANTIFA and Other Rioters Make Money by Getting Arrested During Protests: A Step-by-Step Breakdown

Some members have been asking for a written version of this:

The upcoming elections are stirring fears of potential unrest, with groups like ANTIFA preparing for action. What’s surprising to many is how these groups manage to profit from their arrests during protests. Below, I’ll outline the mechanics of how ANTIFA and other radical groups make money by being detained—and how it all ties back to your tax dollars.

1. Legal Observers: The ‘Eyes’ on the Ground

When protests escalate, you’ll often see people in green hats labeled ‘Legal Observer’ walking around. These individuals are part of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG), a progressive organization that claims to monitor for legal violations. However, they focus solely on documenting police actions, not the conduct of rioters. Their purpose? To provide footage and testimony that supports legal claims against law enforcement, setting the stage for lawsuits and compensation.

2. Strategic Arrests and Bail Protocols

Protesters often write a phone number on their arms—the hotline for the NLG. This group is prepared to bail out anyone arrested, ensuring that those detained don’t stay in jail for long. Once released, the charges are frequently dropped, especially in cities with sympathetic district attorneys. This lack of prosecution means that, while the protesters might have been arrested, their records remain clean.

3. The Lawsuit Strategy

Once charges are dismissed, the real profit-making begins. Protesters, with the help of NLG and other legal defense teams, file lawsuits against cities for unlawful arrest or excessive force. Citing police use of tear gas, rubber bullets, or other crowd control measures, they claim damages and seek settlements.

Cities have paid out substantial sums in response to these lawsuits:

Denver paid $1.6 million to seven individuals.

Austin, Texas disbursed $17.3 million.

Philadelphia compensated 343 protesters, totaling around $9.5 million.

These settlements, drawn from taxpayer funds, serve as a financial boon for the arrested individuals and the legal organizations involved. The lawyers’ fees are covered, and the remainder helps fuel future protests.

4. Recycling Bail Funds

Here’s where the process becomes even more lucrative. When someone posts bail—say, $2,500—and the case is later dropped, the bail money is returned to the individual who was arrested. However, this money was initially donated by organizations or activists—not paid by the protester. When it’s refunded, the protester pockets the cash, effectively receiving “pay” for getting arrested.

5. Funding Sources: A Network of Support

This entire cycle is sustained by grants and donations. Progressive groups like the National Lawyers Guild, Earth First, and others receive substantial funding:

Grants from the EPA for “environmental justice” initiatives can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Nonprofits like the Sierra Club allocate funds to radical groups under the guise of environmental or social justice support.

Private donors and political figures contribute to bail funds. For example, Vice President Kamala Harris once promoted a bail fund that paid for protester releases.

6. The ‘Higher’ Purpose and Repercussions

Many rioters see this as a lucrative gig. Those who are jobless, underemployed, or ideologically driven don black clothing, mask up, and head to protests knowing there’s little risk and plenty of potential reward. They can spend a night throwing firecrackers, confronting police, and causing damage—all while knowing that sympathetic legal teams will cover their bail and potentially help them profit from it later.

This system not only fuels ongoing protests but ensures that rioters face minimal long-term consequences. With district attorneys in certain cities declining to prosecute and legal observers documenting police actions exclusively, the cycle continues unchecked.

Final Thoughts

This pattern is not hyperbole—it’s reality. I’ve seen it firsthand, spoken to those involved, and documented how the money flows. As we head into another election season, this model of monetizing protest arrests will likely intensify. Stay informed and be aware of how these mechanisms impact communities and taxpayers alike.

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Is the U.S. Training Syria’s New Jihadist Army?

Very few media outlets are talking about this, but they should be — urgently.

While most of the world is distracted, U.S. troops are conducting live training exercises in Syria with the forces of the country’s new interim government, now led by Ahmed al-Sharaa — a man widely known as a former Al Qaeda affiliate.

Let that sink in.

Recent reports confirm that U.S. personnel at the Al-Tanf garrison have been training members of the so-called 70th Division, a unit formed from remnants of the Syrian Free Army, which now pledges loyalty to this new government. This comes right on the heels of a massacre of Druze civilians, allegedly carried out by those very same government-aligned forces.

Aiding the Next Generation of Jihadists?
This isn’t just a questionable policy — it could be morally catastrophic.

Druze communities, who have long sought neutrality in Syria’s civil war, were brutally attacked.

Christian populations in the region are living in fear, as radical factions become emboldened ...

00:06:03
Debunked

Debunked: Following several accusations that Israel is causing famine in Gaza, COGAT has released drone footage of the hundreds of truckloads of supplies waiting to be delivered to Gaza by the UN. A statement accompanying the footage claims that 'There is enough food here to feed all of Gaza, if the UN ever came to pick it up.

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Did Jewish Settlers Burn a Church?

See for yourself

00:02:32
Episode 622 - Field Producer Dennis Azato and Chuck Reminisce

My erstwhile field producer and cameraman Dennis Azato has accompanied me on ten years of adventures across the globe. Today he joins me in Ukraine and we spend some time remembering our many trips together.

Episode 622 - Field Producer Dennis Azato and Chuck Reminisce
I FINALLY made it to Gaza today!

I am the one in the blue TV helmet. Watch the Live I did today about what I saw in Gaza here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-v1kXYW6UU

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As a close Christian follower of all things Israel, having just returned from Judea and headed back to see friends there in September, Chucks reporting yesterday about the A, B, C zones was so helpful. The commentary about the “patchwork” of how laws are applied really was so informative.
If you are running dry on inspiration about what to talk about, I loved learning about the arbitrary nature of who’s land is what, how the political agreements (like the Oslo accords) have shaped the current situation, how actual citizenship is assigned/applied for the Arabs there that identify as Palestinian, and more about what it would look like if Israeli sovereignty swept across the entire “Westbank” region.

Thanks Chuck!

Chuck on Washington Watch with Tony Perkins
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Feeding the Hungry—or Fueling the Narrative? What’s Really Stopping Aid in Gaza

Just inside the border fence between Israel and Gaza, 950 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid are parked in neat rows—each one carrying enough food to feed 5,000 people. That’s nearly 4.7 million meals sitting idle in the blistering sun, not because they can’t be delivered, but because the United Nations refuses to distribute them. The reason? Doing so would mean cooperating with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and apparently, political posturing takes priority over feeding the hungry.

 

I was there. I saw the trucks. I spoke with the IDF officers overseeing the process. The KM Shalom distribution yard is not a ghost town—it's an active, secure checkpoint where aid is being processed, inspected, and prepared for delivery. The Israeli military has opened the door for humanitarian efforts to operate safely. But the UN has effectively slammed it shut, choosing ideological purity over practical compassion.

The prevailing media narrative often accuses Israel of “blocking aid” into Gaza. But here’s the truth on the ground: Israel isn’t blocking humanitarian aid—Hamas is looting it, and the UN is refusing to cooperate to ensure it gets where it needs to go. In the absence of leadership from the world’s largest humanitarian body, smaller organizations have taken up the mantle.

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Why Are Thailand and Cambodia Suddenly at War?
What Americans Should Know


By Chuck Holton | July 25, 2025


What's Happening

Fighting has broken out along the border between Thailand and Cambodia, two countries in Southeast Asia. At least 14 people are dead, over 100,000 civilians have been displaced, and both sides are using heavy weapons — including jets, rockets, and artillery.

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Israel Faces Global Pressure as Conflict Escalates: Why Backing Down Isn’t an Option

 

From the cobblestone streets of Lefkara, Cyprus—where I spent the evening walking with my wife Connie—I’m seeing firsthand how far the ripple effects of Israel’s war with Hamas have reached. Just this morning, I woke in Tel Aviv to the sound of sirens. It wasn’t the first time. The Houthi rebels fired two missiles at Israel—one intercepted by Israeli air defenses, the other self-destructing before it even entered Israeli airspace.

“That’s one of several hundred missiles fired since March,” I told my livestream audience. “But none of them have hit anything of consequence. Israel’s air defenses are doing their job, and their response is as measured as it is relentless.”

Israel isn’t merely retaliating. It’s executing precision strikes aimed at dismantling Hamas’ infrastructure and cutting off Iranian supply lines. Just last night, Israeli drones targeted Yemen’s port of Hodeida, destroying heavy equipment that was being used to repair the port and allow more weapons shipments from Tehran.

“They blew up the earth movers, the cranes—anything Iran could use to funnel arms to the Houthis,” I explained. “Israel and its allies are making it harder for the Houthis to maintain their reign of annoyance over Israel. That’s really all it is at this point—annoyance. But one that can’t be ignored.”

 

The Media’s Full-Court Press

While Israel’s military maintains the upper hand on the ground and in the air, it’s fighting an equally vicious battle in the court of global opinion. Twenty-eight nations recently signed a joint statement demanding Israel halt its offensive.

I asked viewers to consider the implications. “Think about what stopping the war now would mean,” I said. “No hostages returned. Hamas stays in power. Another generation of terrorists grows up in Gaza. More Israelis murdered in the future. That’s what the world is asking for when they say, ‘Stop the war.’”

It’s true, the suffering in Gaza is heartbreaking. But this suffering isn’t arbitrary—it’s the direct result of Hamas’ actions. “This is called consequences. Gaza still holds Israeli hostages. Until they’re freed, pressure must increase. Only then can this end.”

 

A Divided Island, A Divided World

Cyprus, where I’m spending a brief layover, offers its own cautionary tale. The island has been divided since 1974, when Turkish forces invaded and occupied nearly 40% of the territory. Today, the Greek Cypriot side is prosperous and peaceful. The Turkish-occupied north? Struggling economically and rife with instability.

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