Overview

• ABC7 Los Angeles anchor Jory Rand described rioters as “just having fun watching cars burn” and warned that police intervention could spark more violence.
• The weekend unrest saw cars torched, officers injured and gatherings featuring participants waving foreign flags, fueling concerns over external influences.
• Breitbart and OutKick criticized ABC7’s portrayal as gaslighting viewers about the scale of destruction and violence.
• ABC7 reporter Tim Caputo declined to label the events a “riot,” drawing further scrutiny of media terminology.
• The incident has renewed debates over media responsibility in reporting violent disturbances and the timing of law enforcement response.