Disturbing signs reading HELP in Los Angeles go viral on X. What do we know so far?

By Charlie Sawyer

Published Jan 27, 2025 at 12:36 PM

Reading time: 2 minutes

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On Sunday 26 January 2025, disturbing images which showed large-scale signs communicating messages such as “help” and “traffico” began circulating on X, formerly Twitter. Visible from Google Maps, the location of the signs has since been confirmed as near the Union Pacific railroad yard in Los Angeles. Netizens have been flooding social media with potential explanations, with theories ranging from protests against local displacement to concerns regarding human trafficking.

It’s unclear who first shared the images on social media, but over the past 24 hours, online interest in the messages has exploded. According to The Express Tribune, the signs appear to have been constructed out of debris and building site materials.

As each hour passes, new theories have begun to emerge online. Some individuals believe that the signs were erected by a local homeless person while others have suggested that it might be a political art statement.

California is a well-known hot spot for human trafficking. According to the State of California’s Department of Justice, in 2018, 1,656 cases of human trafficking were reported in the state. Of those cases, 1,226 were sex trafficking cases, 151 were labour trafficking cases, and 110 involved both labour and sex trafficking.

Moreover, authorities have reportedly already rescued 84 victims of human trafficking in the region in 2025, reiterating the seriousness of this ongoing issue. 

Naturally, this wouldn’t be an online debate without a group of self-righteous internet boys inserting themselves into the conversation. YouTube and influencer group the FaZe clan took a trip to the location to try and find some of the signs themselves. 

From the videos shared online, it looks like the group did come across a number of the “help” signs before allegedly being encouraged to leave the area by a passerby.

There’s a likely chance we’ll never know exactly why they placed those signs there and for what purpose, but one thing’s for sure, they’ve definitely caught the attention of thousands online. We’ll update everyone as soon as we receive more information.

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