The New York City Police Department released a video showing a professional "protest consultant" who was seen on other social media videos instructing a mob of anti-Israel agitators as they took over Hamilton Hall at Columbia University overnight Monday.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams spoke about outside agitators during a press conference Tuesday evening.
"What should have been a peaceful protest, it has basically been co-opted by professional outside agitators. We were extremely cautious about releasing our intel information because our goal was to ensure the safety of the students, the faculty, and without destruction to property," Adams said. "We have sounded the alarm several times before about external actors who attempted to hijack this private protest."
Adams and members of his administration shared information about the outside actors who were creating "serious public safety issues" at the protests.
"These external actors are obviously not students, and their presence on campus is a violation of Columbia’s clearly stated policy," Adams said. "This group…is an outside agitator with a history of escalating a situation and trying to create chaos. It is our belief they are now actively co-opting what should be a peaceful gathering. This is to serve their own agenda. They are not here to promote peace or unity or allow a peaceful display of one's voice. They are here to create discord and divisiveness."
The mayor urged anyone involved to walk away "now."
During the press conference, police said some of the outside agitators have been known to the NYPD for years, adding that they have seen an escalation in tactics police believe are the result of guidance from outside agitators.
For example, police are seeing barricades being made out of furniture, cameras being destroyed, de-arresting tactics, property destruction, and signs being used to fortify and create shields.
Police said even though the tactics really became exposed last night at Columbia University, they expect it will continue across universities in New York City and across the country.
In a video shown during the press event, 63-year-old Lisa Fithian is seen watching a group of protesters chant anti-Israel slogans.
"We’re trying to document them being a- -holes," Lisa Fithian said to the camera person. "You’re right. They are being a - -holes."
Fithian is a professional "protest consultant" who has been arrested over 80 times, Laura Ingraham of "The Ingraham Angle" said on her show Tuesday night.
Fithian has reportedly participated in protests on climate change, Occupy Wall Street, and now, the Free Palestine movement.
After midnight Tuesday, Fithian was seen on video instructing a mob of anti-Israel agitators as they took over an academic building at Columbia University.
In one video clip, protesters were seen carrying a table, while in the background, Fithian could be heard saying, "I can’t help with that. You guys can help with that."
In another clip, the mob was seen attaching a piece of furniture to the door of a building, while Fithian tells people with cameras to move back.
During "The Ingraham Angle" on Tuesday evening, Ingraham spoke with Ira Stoll, the founder and editor of theeditors.com, about Fithian and what she gets out of helping to train the new generation of activists.
"Some of the people involved are being paid money," Stoll said, explaining he authored an article for The Wall Street Journal recently about how these groups are advertising for fellows to be paid $3,000 to work eight hours a week for three months, on campuses across the U.S. "Some of the people who have been quite prominently in these protests have been paid fellows with hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Soros Open Society Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.
"So, there’s big money behind these protests," Stoll added.
He also spoke about how many of the people at the anti-Israel protests taking place at campuses like Columbia University are the same people who attend Black Lives Matter protests, as well as anti-Trump protests.
"It’s the same people out protesting. I’ve seen them," Stoll said. "They just like to protest."
He compared it to people who go out on weekends to play sports or go to religious services.
"This is an activity for these people, and until the revolution is accomplished, they’re not going to stop, or else until they are in jail," he said.
