Your link doesn't say that or even lay the groundwork for that. It says the protest was organised by "a conservative group linked to Betsy DaVos [a conservative politician". There's no mention of funding anywhere.

Really, think about what you're implying here - that Americans somehow care so little about being placed under house arrest that they'd need to be paid to turn up to a protest about it? That's not the America I know.

As for "conservative group with links to conservative politicians", given the vague nature of the term "links" that's going to encompass a vast number of politically active people in the country. There's nothing surprising or sinister about people who distrust centralised state power organising protests against totalitarian actions. It's exactly what you'd expect to see.