> I find it shocking so many people were expecting him to just take it the beating or 'run away' and leave his partner there.
That's what the protesters are expected to do.
Attacking the police was definitely a bad idea, especially for strategic reasons--this illustrates why Ghandi and King preached 100% passive resistance. Protesters can allow themselves to be brutalized for months, and the moment a few of them hit back, the narrative starts to shift to "violent thugs."
If you want to retain the moral high ground in the face of organized propaganda, you're not allowed to physically defend yourself even once.
That's what the protesters are expected to do.
Attacking the police was definitely a bad idea, especially for strategic reasons--this illustrates why Ghandi and King preached 100% passive resistance. Protesters can allow themselves to be brutalized for months, and the moment a few of them hit back, the narrative starts to shift to "violent thugs."
If you want to retain the moral high ground in the face of organized propaganda, you're not allowed to physically defend yourself even once.