Far-left anti-ICE activists pour gasoline on Trump supporter in LA

Jon Mellis, 39, who goes by the handle @PatriotWildMan online, was swarmed by protesters outside the Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center after they recognized him despite his attempt to blend in with a mask, according to New York Post.

Video footage of the incident shows Mellis being repeatedly taunted as a pedophile worshipper, chased by masked individuals, and struck multiple times in the head before managing to escape the pursuing mob.

Mellis told the outlet he and a friend had attended the anti-ICE demonstration wearing masks and falsely claiming to work with the DNC when asked. He said he was conducting interviews when protesters identified him based on his curly hair and online notoriety.

The situation escalated rapidly. Protesters began shouting “Proud Boy, Proud Boy” and immediately turned violent, throwing objects and pouring what Mellis described as gasoline on him.

Cameraman Describes Mob Attack

Eoin Richard, a cameraman who has documented protests in Washington, Chicago, and Minneapolis, filmed Saturday’s altercation in downtown Los Angeles. Richard identified the attackers as Antifa protesters in his account to New York Post.

Richard explained he was covering the one-year anniversary protest of ICE raids when the violence erupted. Mellis had been conducting basic, nonpartisan interviews asking protesters why they were present when the situation turned dangerous after just two interviews.

A woman with a bullhorn approached and began shouting in Mellis’s face, Richard recounted. Within seconds, masked Antifa members surrounded Mellis, with one attempting to dump a chemical substance on him. As Mellis tried to push away the gallon container of liquid, another attacker punched him in the face.

Both men then fled for their lives as a mob sprinted after them, attempting to attack and beat them. Richard said the protesters even tried to attack police officers at the scene.

Police Response and Aftermath

After reaching safety, Mellis and Richard made contact with Los Angeles police. Officers placed Mellis in handcuffs in the back of a patrol car and escorted him to his vehicle, though he was not arrested.

Mellis said the officer did not pat him down or search him, and confirmed he was not being detained. The officer simply provided transport to his car because the situation was on the verge of becoming a full riot.

Following the incident, the Department of Homeland Security was reportedly deployed to the protest site. ABC 7 reported that some arrests were made, though the LAPD could not confirm to New York Post whether any arrests or detainments were connected to the attack on Mellis.

Mellis’s Background and Recent Activities

Mellis pleaded guilty to assaulting an officer at the Capitol Building during the January 6, 2021 riot. He served four years in federal prison before receiving a pardon from President Trump and now works as a full-time conservative influencer.

Prior to Saturday’s attack, Mellis made headlines when he was removed by security from Spencer Pratt’s election night event after arriving uninvited. Despite the ejection, Mellis expressed support for Pratt while criticizing the security team’s handling of the situation, claiming they assaulted him on public property.

Growing Concerns Over Left-Wing Political Violence

Saturday’s incident underscores mounting concerns about left-wing political violence targeting conservatives and immigration enforcement supporters across the United States. Critics contend that Antifa’s repeated acts of intimidation and assault face minimal consequences in Democrat-controlled cities like Los Angeles, creating an atmosphere of fear for those exercising First Amendment rights.

Richard described the experience as one of the scariest moments of his life and condemned the use of violence, calling it disgusting and totally unfair.

With information from New York Post