CNN host presses New York mayor over allegations of ‘outside agitators’ at student protests

CNN anchor Erin Burnett pressed New York Mayor Eric Adams (D) on his allegations of “outside agitators” at the recent pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University.

“Do you have any ability at this point to tell us how many of them were ‘outside agitators’ and how many of them were Columbia University students?” Burnett he said on his CNN show on Wednesday, in a clip highlighted by Mediaite.

Adams responded that there was “clear evidence of training conducted by an outside agitator, who was not a student, not on campus.”

“Additionally, we saw people participating and allowing access to Hamilton Hall,” Adams continued, referring to the building on the Columbia campus that was taken over by protesters on Tuesday morning.

Adams then said that he “received a letter from the school” and that in that letter the school alleged that there were “outside individuals who were on site, [participating} [in] this activity.”

Burtnett then questioned whether there was a “breakdown” on the part of Adams’ office or the NYPD about how many of the students who were arrested Tuesday night were actually Columbia students.

“Here’s what we can do and are allowed to do,” Adams said. “We will give the complete list of those arrested and hand it over to the school, and the school will make the decision. We will not disclose the student’s name[s], but the school can make the decision to give you an analysis… of the difference between students and non-students. They would have this authorization to do so.”

Adams’ comments follow violence that erupted at Columbia University the night before, when the New York Police Department (NYPD) cracked down on pro-Palestinian protesters at the school.

The Mayor of New York he said Tuesday at a press conference that the protests in Columbia were “co-opted by outside professional agitators.”