Exclusive | Far-left anti-ICE activists pour ‘gasoline’ on Trump superfan outside LA detention center

Nypost · Jun 08, 2026 · 795 words · By Nikki Dobrin

Political Violence first amendment rights Partisan Conflict

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What to know about Political Violence

Metro exclusive Far-left anti-ICE activists pour ‘gasoline’ on Trump superfan outside LA detention center See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 8

Techniques found 5

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left25%

Center50%

Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Metro exclusive Far-left anti-ICE activists pour ‘gasoline’ on Trump superfan outside LA detention center See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

6 rioter who was turfed from Spencer Pratt’s election night party was swarmed by a group of anti-ICE protesters outside the Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center on Saturday in a disturbing incident caught on video.

Common ground

Footage shows Jon Mellis, 39, known online as @PatriotWildMan, being repeatedly taunted as a “pedophile worshipper,” chased, and allegedly doused with gasoline by masked protesters as he attempted to escape the confrontation.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Appeal to Fear: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Political Violence story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Cameraman Eoin Richard, who has covered protests in Washington, Chicago and Minneapolis, filmed the Saturday altercation in downtown LA?
How does this story connect Political Violence with first amendment rights over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/06/08/us-news/jan-6-rioter-jon-mellis-says-masked-mob-do…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 5 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

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Loaded Language 100% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Name Calling / Labeling 90% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Appeal to Fear 80% confidence

Building support by instilling anxiety or panic in the audience.

Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to fear helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Hasty Generalization 80% confidence

Drawing broad conclusions from a small or unrepresentative sample.

Why it matters: Recognizing hasty generalization helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Scapegoating 70% confidence

Blaming a person or group for problems they did not cause.

Why it matters: Recognizing scapegoating helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 8 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 5

verified Verified By Reference 2

check_circle Corroborated 1

verified

Claim 1: “Cameraman Eoin Richard, who has covered protests in Washington, Chicago and Minneapolis, filmed the Saturday altercation in downtown LA.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Web search results for 'Eoin' return various people (politicians, athletes), but none match a cameraman named Eoin Richard who filmed an altercation in LA. No evidence confirms this person's identity or role in this event.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of European basketball players who have played in the United States at either professional or NCAA Division I level. It is intended to include players who are currently active, whether …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_European_basketball_pl…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad consists of the 9th and 10th governments of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government began in August 2005 after his election as the 6th pres…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidency_of_Mahmoud_Ahmadine…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Eoin an Ile or John of Islay, Earl of Ross (15th century) Eoin Mac Neill (1867–1945), Irish nationalist politician and scholar Eoin Ó Broin (born 1972), Irish Sinn Féin politician Eoin O'Duffy (1890–1…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eoin

+ 2 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 2: “Mellis pleaded guilty to assaulting an officer at the Capitol Building in the January 6, 2021 riot.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence includes a general Wikipedia list of January 6 cases and general names, but no specific record or court document is provided in the evidence that confirms Jon Mellis pleaded guilty to assaulting an officer.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025–2026 Iranian protests were a series of nationwide demonstrations against the government of Iran that began on 28 December 2025 amid a deepening economic crisis. The unrest followed a sharp de…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025–2026_Iranian_protests

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2017 Women's March was a network of global political rallies that took place in cities around the world on January 21, 2017. These "sister marches" were both formally and organically related to th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_2017_Women's_March_loc…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On January 6, 2021, thousands of Trump supporters participated in the U.S. Capitol attack, disrupting the joint session of Congress assembled to count electoral votes to formalize Joe Biden's victory …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cases_of_the_January_6…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 3: “We were there to film a protest being held for the one-year anniversary of the ICE raids”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm protests in downtown Los Angeles related to ICE raids, including a Wikipedia entry for 'June 2025 Los Angeles protests against mass deportation' and other web search results mentioning demonstrators at City Hall and in response to immigration raids.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — O'Shea Jackson (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and film producer. His efforts on N.W.A's 1989 album Straight Outta Compton contributed…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_Cube

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On June 6, 2025, protests began in Los Angeles after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided locations in the region to arrest individuals allegedly involved in illegal immigration to …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_2025_Los_Angeles_protests…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Los Angeles (LA or L.A.) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California. With an estimated 3.87 million residents …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 4: “Footage shows Jon Mellis, 39, known online as @PatriotWildMan, being repeatedly taunted as a “pedophile worshipper,” chased, and allegedly doused with gasoline by masked protesters”

SINGLE SOURCE

The claim regarding the specific taunts and the dousing with gasoline is mentioned in the same single web search result that identifies Jon Mellis as a January 6 participant. No other independent sources corroborate these specific details.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — "No Tears Left to Cry" is a song by American singer-songwriter Ariana Grande. It was released on April 20, 2018, by Republic Records as the lead single from her fourth studio album, Sweetener (2018). …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Tears_Left_to_Cry

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Brookside is a British television soap opera, set in Liverpool, England, which began on 2 November 1982, and ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003. It was produced by Mersey Television and conceived …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookside_(TV_series)

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Stream popular movies, TV shows, sports, and live TV included with Prime, and even more with add-on subscriptions. Watch anywhere, anytime.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/storefront/

+ 2 more evidence sources

info

Claim 5: “Following the incident, Richard claimed DHS was deployed to the protest, with ABC 7 reporting that some arrests were made.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While web search results mention arrests at anti-ICE protests in other cities (Chicago, Newark) and general arrests in LA, there is no specific evidence provided that DHS was deployed to the specific LA protest mentioned or that ABC 7 reported it in this context.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Feb 1, 2026 ... Two protests in downtown L.A. on Friday and Saturday were overall peaceful before the night fell, and smaller groups of demonstrators faced ...
https://abc7.com/live-updates/live-updates-protesters-clash-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Sep 19, 2025 ... CHICAGO (WLS) -- Multiple protesters were arrested after clashing with ICE agents outside a facility in Broadview Friday as the Trump ...
https://abc7chicago.com/post/ice-chicago-protesters-gather-o…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jun 1, 2026 ... Arrests were made outside an ICE facility at Delaney Hall after some protesters violated the curfew.
https://abc7ny.com/post/delaney-hall-protests-newark-mayor-r…

info

Claim 6: “The Jan. 6 rioter who was turfed from Spencer Pratt’s election night party was swarmed by a group of anti-ICE protesters outside the Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center on Saturday”

SINGLE SOURCE

One web search result explicitly mentions Jon Mellis being swarmed by an 'Antifa mob' outside the Metropolitan Detention Center. While another result mentions tensions at the same location on a Friday, there is only one specific source confirming the event involving Jon Mellis.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following notable people have died by suicide. This includes suicides effected under duress and excludes deaths by accident or misadventure. People who may or may not have died by their own hand, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicides_(1900–1999)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Gilbert Jay Arenas Jr. ( ə-REE-nəz; born January 6, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. Arenas attended Grant High School in the Valley Glen district of Los Angeles, and accept…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Arenas

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jan 30, 2026 ... ... protests in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, tensions escalated outside the Metropolitan Detention Center with law enforcement pushing into a ...
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUKUWZXEY0y/?hl=en

+ 2 more evidence sources

info

Claim 7: “He spent four years in federal prison before being pardoned by President Trump”

SINGLE SOURCE

General news reports mention that some Jan 6 rioters were pardoned by Trump, but there is no specific evidence in the provided results confirming that Jon Mellis specifically served four years and received a pardon.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In March 2026, some January 6 defendants and others present at the protest that day filed a class action lawsuit against the U.S. federal government, alleging ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cases_of_the_January_6…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jan 30, 2025 ... Dozens of Jan. 6 defendants who received pardons from President Trump had past criminal convictions for charges including rape, manslaughter ...
https://www.npr.org/2025/01/30/nx-s1-5276336/donald-trump-ja…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Apr 1, 2026 ... Based on analysis of January 6th clemency, at least 33 individuals pardoned by President Trump for their involvement in the Capitol riot ...
https://www.facebook.com/meidastouch/posts/news-a-january-6-…

info

Claim 8: “He was removed by security at Spencer Pratt election-night event after turning up uninvited.”

SINGLE SOURCE

A web search result explicitly describes 'Jonathan Mellis' being removed from Spencer Pratt's private watch party by security, matching the claim.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jon is a masculine given name. It is often short for Jonathan. The name is spelled Jón in Iceland and on the Faroe Islands. In the Nordic countries, it is derived from Johannes.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jón Magnússon, multiple people Jon Oddsson (born 1958), Icelandic multi-sport athlete Jón Oddsson Hjaltalín (1749–1835), Icelandic priest and writer Jón Ögmundsson, Icelandic bishop Jón Ólafsson, mult…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jón

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jonathan Mellis stood smiling behind Spencer Pratt before security appear to shuffle him away. Instagram/patriotwildman. Johnathan Mellis, wearing a white shirt and sunglasses, being removed from a pr…
https://nypost.com/2026/06/03/us-news/unwanted-pratt-bro-dra…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.