Summary:
Adam Swart, CEO of Crowds on Demand, reveals the widespread practice of paid political demonstrations in the US. His firm supplies compensated activists for corporate and political clients since 2012, challenging assumptions about protest authenticity. Swart contends most activism features external incentives – from social media clout to union pressure – not “pure” conviction. The disclosure follows his rejection of a $20 million anti-Trump campaign due to reputational risk concerns about organizers’ track records.
What This Means for You:
- Question protest narratives: Verify grassroots legitimacy before amplifying causes
- Evaluate PR tactics: Corporations/staffers may use paid demonstrations to manufacture consensus
- Scrutinize event funding: Demand transparency about organizer financial ties during election cycles
- Future vigilance: Anticipate AI-generated “activists” worsening demonstration authenticity challenges
Original Post:
Political protests in the US are rarely acts of pure conviction, according to Adam Swart, CEO of a prominent publicity firm that supplies paid demonstrators for political and corporate events.
Swart, who founded Crowds on Demand in 2012, revealed what was described as the “dirty secrets” of his profession in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday. His company recruits and manages individuals who appear at rallies, protests, and public events on behalf of paying clients.
Swart argued that compensating activists is not unethical. He said the service allows people to engage in causes they support but might not otherwise be able to attend.
“All activism is what I call incentivized activism,” he said. “We compensate people for having their views known, but most people who attend demonstrations have some reason for being there other than the so-called purity of their beliefs.”
Swart offered examples to bolster his claim, including the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.
“How many real housewives went out to protest for [the Black Lives Matter campaign] in the summer of 2020?” he said. “Do you think it’s because they cared about institutional racism? Or do you think it’s to flex on social media?”
He added that labor unions sometimes pressure members to attend demonstrations, with threats of less favorable work shifts, and political aides are often expected to take part in campaign events during their personal time.
Paid demonstrators typically earn several hundred dollars per day, according to Swart. Nationwide publicity campaigns, he said, can cost millions. He noted that he recently turned down a $20 million offer from political interests opposed to US President Donald Trump.
Swart emphasized that his rejection of the offer was not driven by ideology but by concerns that the campaign’s likely failure would damage his firm’s reputation.
“The problem is that these are the same consultant class who propped up [former US President Joe] Biden, who propped up [former Vice President] Kamala Harris, who fundamentally failed so miserably in the 2024 election, and who have failed every single day since then in reigning in Trump’s agenda,” he said.
Extra Information:
- Crowds on Demand Service Menu – Details “Brand Ambassadors” and “Protesters” as billable services
- Stanford Study on Protest Motivations – Academic analysis of non-ideological demonstration incentives
- PRSA Code of Ethics – Framework for evaluating paid persuasion tactics
People Also Ask About:
- Are paid protests legal? – Yes, provided compensation disclosure follows FEC regulations for political events
- How much do professional protesters make? – $20-$50/hour plus bonuses for overnight engagements
- What industries use paid demonstrators? – Pharma trials, union negotiations, entertainment premieres, and political campaigns
- Can you identify staged protests? – Look for identical signage, rehearsed chants, and disproportionate media coordination
Expert Opinion:
“This exposes the performance theater aspect of modern activism,” says Dr. Lina Newton, political communications researcher at Hunter College. “When corporate PR tactics infiltrate social movements, it erodes democratic deliberation. Verification of organic participation becomes critical during election cycles.”
Key Terms:
- Paid demonstrators political protests
- Manufactured activism strategy
- Professional protester compensation rates
- Crowdsourcing political rallies
- Incentivized activism ethics
- Astroturfing detection methods
- Event staffing protest services
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