Was it just the Sons of Liberty who dumped the tea or the Sons of Liberty and the colonists?

Your question tries to draw a distinction between the Sons of Liberty and "colonists." But the Sons of Liberty were colonists. No one is completely sure who took part in the Boston Tea Party. It was certainly organized by the Sons of Liberty at a meeting in Boston's Old South Meeting House, but because of the likelihood of arrest, the participants were in costume and "anonymous."

The Boston Tea Party, where tea was famously dumped into the Boston Harbor as a protest against British taxation, was primarily carried out by members of the Sons of Liberty. However, it's essential to note that while the Sons of Liberty orchestrated the event, there were other colonists involved as well. Many ordinary colonists sympathized with the Sons of Liberty's cause and supported their actions, including participating in the dumping of the tea. So, while the Sons of Liberty played a central role, the event involved both members of the Sons of Liberty and other colonists who shared similar grievances against British policies.