Another nuance being drowned by the noise is that campus protests will include locals. An earlier article noted that 70% of the Columbia protestors arrested were students. No doubt there were folks not locally affiliated - there are absolutely folks that travel to protests and bad actors.

Locals go to protests in response to current events as well. There's no purity test for a protest.

#GiftArticle

The Mayor Called Them Outside Agitators. Many of Them Beg to Differ. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/04/nyregion/columbia-protests-arrest-agitators-israel.html