Crowds on Demand CEO Adam Swart said on Fox & Friends Friday that his company has seen a 400% surge in requests for paid protesters this year compared to the same period last year.
When asked by Fox News’ Lawrence Jones how much these protesters typically earn, Swart explained that rates vary widely.
“We don’t comment on specific protests, but generally the range can be from the low hundreds into a few hundred,” Swart said. “It depends on the location, the duration, and any challenges—like cold weather or very early mornings. You guys at Fox & Friends know all about early mornings, and we tend to pay more for that.”
According to its website, Crowds on Demand is “best known for organizing passionate demonstrations, rallies, flash-mobs, corporate PR events, and light-hearted events such as paparazzi, brand ambassadors, and PR stunts.”
Swart pushed back on online claims about “professional protesters,” saying his company only provides participants for “peaceful and law-abiding protest,” with the goal of persuasion.
When asked whether protesters are paid hourly, Swart didn’t provide an exact figure. Instead, he explained that higher rates are offered in difficult circumstances, such as recruiting for a conservative protest in liberal Williamsburg, Brooklyn, or for a left-wing protest in rural Mississippi.
Swart added that his company works with both sides of the political spectrum and that many participants actually support the causes they represent.
“They genuinely share these beliefs,” he said. “I’d ask your viewers—if you were offered a couple hundred dollars, would you go to a BLM protest? Most would probably say no. That’s why when conservatives hire us, there’s often more incentive involved, since many already have jobs and families.”
Asked whether conservatives or liberals hire more of his company’s services, Swart said it depends on who holds power.
“We tend to be hired by the oppositional party. At the federal level right now, we get more requests from Democrats. But in liberal states like California, conservatives often bring us in as an outside-the-box strategy,” he explained.
Swart also argued that his company isn’t undermining democracy, saying protests are never entirely spontaneous.
“The reality is, people have different incentives for showing up. There’s no such thing as a truly organic protest,” he said. “Everyone has a reason—whether it’s political passion, social media attention, staff obligations, or compensation. But a protest is never completely organic.”
