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Hillary Clinton criticized pro-Palestinian protests on Columbia University campuses, which she said were largely influenced by outside funds and groups, calling the demonstrators’ treatment of Jewish students “nasty.”

In an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria on “GPS” on Sunday, the former secretary of state and 2016 presidential candidate described how she has watched tensions escalate at Columbia University, where she co-teaches classes, in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and Israeli retaliatory actions in the Gaza Strip.

“There were already groups in our country, especially on some campuses like Columbia, that had their footholds,” Clinton said.

“They had a plan for protest and riots, and I watched it morph into something that was not student-led, although students were involved, but had outside funding and outside leadership.”

Clinton blamed biased social media algorithms and outside influences (though she did not specify which ones) for fueling campus protests.

Clinton said videos posted on social media portrayed a “one-sided,” “pro-Hamas” view of the war and that many protesters she met did not understand the history of the complex, long-running conflict.

“In trying to talk to students, not only at Columbia but elsewhere, I’ve been met with slogans. I’ve been met with attacks and very inflammatory language,” she added.

Some context: Columbia became the epicenter of pro-Palestinian student protests last school year, with demonstrations rocking universities across the country. Most of the protests were peaceful, but some turned violent and disrupted academic life on campus.

Most of the demonstrators called for divestment from companies that support Israel and the war in Gaza, and drew attention to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the enclave. Some Jewish and Muslim students said they had been intimidated, harassed or physically attacked by various sides.