Chaos erupted outside an Ace Hardware store in Menlo Park, California, on March 29, 2026. Cameras were rolling as Canadian YouTuber Richard Troyan and his collaborators confronted members of the public. What started as a typical “First Amendment audit” filming session turned physical when Troyan allegedly pepper-sprayed a man during a heated verbal exchange.
48-year-old Troyan manages a YouTube channel named True North Transparency. He is currently charged with two felony counts in the San Mateo County, California, including assault with a weapon capable of causing great bodily harm and unauthorized use of tear gas.
The First Amendment auditors, who are the content creators working online, generally record videos in public spaces, which may include business premises, government offices, and even their interactions with common civilians based on the belief that they have the constitutional right to do so. While some support their efforts as a form of accountability of authority, others find them provocateurs seeking attention.
Local outlets and prosecutors say Troyan’s group fits the more aggressive end of this scene. He was collaborating that day with Conrad and Nick Rankin of iiMPACT MEDIA.
A tweet from X.
San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe’s office reviewed bystander footage of the Ace Hardware incident. They determined the spray did not qualify as self-defense.
The victim reportedly told Troyan something along the lines of,
“If you spray me, I will f**k you up.”
Wagstaffe emphasized:
“You don’t have a right to proactively act on that.”
Prosecutors viewed the threat as conditional rather than an immediate one justifying force.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Troyan, who lives in Ontario, Canada. Enforcement could prove difficult without extradition, but the warrant remains active if he returns to the U.S.
Troyan had uploaded a video referencing the man getting “sauced,” but it was later deleted, according to reports from Almanac News and Dexerto.
The day before the Ace Hardware clash, on March 28 in nearby Mountain View, Troyan’s collaborator Richard Maza allegedly pepper-sprayed shopper Paul Rubino outside a Costco. Police say Maza thrust a camera into Rubino’s car window; after Rubino pushed it away, he was sprayed in the face.
Rubino claims he suffered an 80% corneal abrasion and major vision loss describing it as looking through “frosted glass” or “crumpled Saran Wrap.” He was placed on modified work duty with ongoing issues. Maza faces his own felony charges of aggravated assault and unlawful use of tear gas.
Rubino filed a federal lawsuit seeking around $3 million in damages against Troyan, Maza, and the Rankins. The suit accuses the group of coordinated racketeering activity under the RICO Act essentially alleging they operate like an organized enterprise that provokes confrontations for profit through YouTube content. In plain terms, civil RICO allows plaintiffs to target patterns of alleged illegal behavior for triple damages.
Facing trouble near a Menlo Park store on that very day, attorney Andrew Watters took legal steps of his own. His case connects to the others, though it stands apart.
What happens next might surprise you social media systems favor conflict that grabs attention. Tension-filled clips, like those showing pepper spray, collect massive view counts. That kind of reach tempts certain users to cross lines they once wouldn’t. Afterward, platforms removed multiple recordings linked to such events.
Still, no clear statement has come from Troyan or those working with him, even if fact-checkers tend to treat silence as protection. Quiet moments speak louder when others rush to explain.
By May 2026, courtroom decisions still hang over Troyan’s criminal case alongside separate civil claims. Proof remains absent, since no trial has confirmed the accusations.
