True, but for big ones, like the No Kings protests (supported by the Democratic Party), with permits and permission from local authorities, the police generally do nothing because the organizers act as their own police, forcing protesters into the confines of the sanctioned portion of the street or sidewalk.

But if the protesters get unruly and violate the rules of the organizers, or local laws; if spontaneous, unsanctioned protests erupt; if protesters begin burning garbage cans and vandalizing buildings; or if they engage in civil disobedience that disrupts business as usual; the police get involved quickly, bashing heads, launching gas, kettling, mass-arresting and sometimes even shooting protesters, bystanders and the press.

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