ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes took aim at how the media is covering the anti-ICE riots that have rocked parts of Los Angeles County in recent days.
Images of burning cars, graffiti-covered vehicles, and clashes between President Donald Trump and Governor Gavin Newsom have dominated headlines. But Kimes says the coverage is missing the mark.
"The disparity (between) what’s actually happening in Los Angeles and the way it’s being mischaracterized is one of the biggest stress tests of modern media in recent memory," Kimes wrote on her BlueSky account. "Botted socials, AI, old clips, declining literacy—it’s like seeing a broken emergency response system hit by a storm."
Her warning comes as social media continues to circulate dramatic videos of looting and street violence. In response, local businesses have started boarding up in anticipation of more unrest.
Fox News Digital reported that a T-Mobile store at 3rd Street and Broadway had secured its entrance with plywood. Nearby, a CVS at 7th and Spring streets was undergoing repairs, with a security guard standing watch after back-to-back nights of chaos.
Attorney General Pam Bondi delivered a sharp message on Tuesday, telling “Fox & Friends” that California looters would now face tough federal penalties. "If you loot a business in California during this, we're charging you with robbery under the Hobbs Act. No longer are the days of non-prosecution for looting. It's a criminal act," she said.
Meanwhile, law enforcement officials in Los Angeles have arrested dozens connected to the unrest. Protesters have vandalized cars, stores, and government property, triggering a crackdown from city police and federal agents.
One particularly jarring image shows a protester waving a Mexican flag while standing atop a charred vehicle in Paramount, California—a symbol that has drawn both outrage and praise across the political spectrum.
Businesses remain on edge, and residents are bracing for what could be another volatile night. The city’s leadership, however, remains divided over how to restore order without inflaming tensions further.