CNN's Acosta tries to catch Trump in fake news, and gets lit up instead

The media spotlight was firmly posted on the "free speech" rally in Boston, Massachusetts, Saturday, but when CNN's Jim Acosta tried to contradict President Donald Trump's statement about it, he got slammed on social media.

Acosta focused on this tweet from the president, which identified the protesters in Boston as "anti-police agitators," something many found controversial and rash.

"Looks like many anti-police agitators in Boston. Police are looking tough and smart! Thank you," Trump wrote.

The CNN reporter responded, "What happened to waiting on the facts to come in?" Acosta referred to a previous statement from Trump where he said he didn't want to condemn the protesters where a left-wing woman was killed because he said he was waiting for the facts to be established.

He linked to this tweet reporting a statement from the Boston police commissioner. "40,000 people protested in Boston today. 99% of people were there for the right reasons to fight bigotry & hate -Boston Police Commissioner," the tweet from Acosta's colleague Ana Cabrera read.

But Acosta was almost immediately assailed by those pointing out that not all the counter-protesters were peaceful.

According to the official social media account from the Boston police, officers standing guard at the demonstration were struck with projectiles including rocks, bottles, and urine.

Critics of CNN used the moment as an example of what they saw as the bias from CNN, and specifically from Jim Acosta.

Coming from a "journalist" who couldn't wait until the facts came out later. pic.twitter.com/xu9ofSRfKy

— William Davis (@davis1988will) August 20, 2017

Hi pic.twitter.com/OQZYaRxA30

— Chet Cannon (@Chet_Cannon) August 19, 2017

CNN has been in something of a feud with the president, who accosts them as "fake news" over their negative reporting and what many see as biased against Republicans and specifically this president. Trump has focused many of his attacks on Acosta, who is CNN's White House correspondent and often challenges the president on his statements.