Conservative firebrand Milo Yiannopoulos appeared on Fox News with Tucker Carlson Thursday night to talk about the violent rioting that shut down his speaking event at UC Berkeley the night before, and how the media coverage of the incident seemed to legitimize the violence.

The two began by discussing the police response — or lack thereof.

Questions have emerged in the media regarding police tactics during the “protest” that allowed it to devolve into a full-blown riot resulting in massive property damage, injuries, and only one person being arrested.

Via CBS SF:

When asked why police didn’t move in and stop the rioters, UC Berkeley spokesperson Dan Mogulof replied, “Police tactics are driven on a campus by need, the non-negotiable need to protect our students and ensure their well being.” University officials said police decided to stay back to prevent injuring innocent protesters and bystanders who could have been hurt if officers waded into the crowd.

Yiannopoulos acknowledged that the police “didn’t seem to be doing very much besides hiding inside the building” as he described his harrowing escape.

Carlson found it fascinating that the police did not come to his defense in any meaningful way. “The video proves it — you’re affirming it now, why? Carlson asked.

Yiannopoulos said he wasn’t sure why the police stood down, but noted that the mayor of Berkeley was “sort of gleefully egging” the protests on.

He pointed out that the left habitually smear conservatives with labels like “white supremacist” to legitimize political violence against them. That is what Mayor Arreguin did when he characterized Yiannopoulos as a bigot who engages in hate speech and isn’t welcome at Berkeley just prior to his event.

Using speech to silence marginalized communities and promote bigotry is unacceptable. Hate speech isn't welcome in our community. — Jesse Arreguin (@JesseArreguin) February 2, 2017

In a statement on Thursday which he later retracted, the mayor called Yiannopoulos a white supremacist.

The lieutenant governor of California put out an even more obnoxious statement, calling the Breitbart editor a white supremacist late in the day Thursday.

Hatred has no home on California’s public university campuses in any form, from vitriol to violence. pic.twitter.com/WJmXHthTBq — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) February 2, 2017

Yiannopoulos blamed the media and CNN in particular for using “appalling” language to describe anyone even slightly conservative in order to delegitimize them.

Milo Yiannopoulos is trying to convince colleges that hate speech is cool https://t.co/YmGddaaq7P pic.twitter.com/xN13TSvSwi — CNN (@CNN) February 2, 2017

Carlson read a number of the headlines from the media that painted Yiannopoulos as “divisive,” a “provocateur,” and a “white supremacuist,” arguing that the press coverage of the violent rioting Wednesday night contained a subtext of “you deserve it.” He pointed out that only one liberal he knew of came to Milo’s defense.

Yiannopoulos replied that the whole thing puts liberals “in a bind” because it means that they have to admit that there’s actually a problem on their side.

He added that the reason the left is so outraged by him is that they fear how popular, effective, and influential he is.

“I’m the worst example for them of someone who is persuasive and interesting and funny. Every one of my shows is sold out. Every time I do a talk somebody says, ‘I never thought of that, you really converted me.’ That makes me dangerous.”

Tucker and Milo tried to come up with a definition for “hate speech,” a term liberals frequently use. They settled on “whatever speech liberals don’t like.”