Clavicular, a social media influencer who was charged with rape, led a demonstration on campus to promote “looksmaxxing” Saturday. 

About 40 people attended the protest organized by Clavicular, whose name is Braden Peters and who has 1 million followers on Instagram. Peters was charged in September in Orleans District Court for rape and drugging someone for sexual intercourse, according to NPR. He also allegedly ran over a pedestrian with a Tesla Cybertruck in December 2025, according to the Guardian.

Peters called on students in a speech on the Hill to start “looksmaxxing” and lose weight, according to a Saturday TikTok post. “Looksmaxxing” is a popular subculture that promotes maximizing one’s physical appearance by any means, including taking stimulants to lose weight and implementing do-it-yourself beauty hacks. 

Some elements of the practice – which include the use of unregulated steroids and peptides – could be harmful to people’s mental and physical health, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 

“Looksmaxxing can truly be one of the most important metrics that you can leverage to be treated better in your overall life,” Peters said. “There’s no reason not to prioritize looks to the fullest degree.” 

The demonstration came amid Peters’ national tour titled “Clavicular College Tour,” which has 10 stops across the United States. UCLA is not listed as a college campus part of the tour, according to Peters’ August Instagram post. 

Two public safety aides followed the group as they walked through Dickson Plaza. 

“Hexumlite,” another content creator, said he attended the demonstration to promote the self-improvement subculture and shared his own experience “looksmaxxing.”

“I was overweight and had cystic acne for a majority of my life,” Hexumlite said. “Once I decided to change it, a lot of things started falling into place.”

Hexumlite said students should become “NEETs” – an internet term that stands for Not in Education, Employment, or Training – and focus on maximizing their physical appearance instead. 

“Anybody who’s a student, open your mind to that,” he said. “The key to being a winner in life is being able to be receptive to other ideas.”

Sean Basran, a first-year public health student, said he decided to follow the group after he saw them walking down Bruin Walk. He added that he dislikes Clavicular because of the recent allegations against him and hopes that the demonstration was satirical. 

Aaron Jauregui-casas, a first-year mechanical engineering student who joined the group at Covel Commons, said he was surprised to see a famous person on campus. He attended the demonstration in hopes of being caught on camera to show his friends, he added. 

However, Jauregui-casas said he does not support the demonstration’s message. The demonstration ended at about 5 p.m. 

“If you are not doing everything in your power to be lean as possible, to be as good looking as possible, it’s ridiculous,” Peter said in his speech. “Start looksmaxxing.”