It's a little give...it's a little take. Either you are just a man with a badge or you are an officer of the law. That said, you learn to pick your battles. As reprehesible as the protesters' conduct was, I think for the police to act heavy handed on this would give the impression that the police were too personally invested. It would have complicated matters. I am shocked at the number of officers who do not see the logic in this. Stop taking everything so damn personal!!!