When I see footage of protesters they mostly get tackled, tear gassed, or chased off. And in no way have I ever see them with a gun, knife, or any other form of defense to protect themselves.
Because these protesters don’t realize the US has no conscience.
I would like to add that if you defend yourself the police will see it as violence and you won’t just be arrested but you’ll end up in jail
You have zero experience at protesting, do you?
Take the student protests in The Netherlands for example. The second someone takes a knife or a bat or even a gun to these protests, it’s over. You will probably be shot by the riot police. The media will be all over the place trying to demonise you even more. Regardless of the cause you are protesting for.
This isn’t some adventurist fantasy. Actual protests and mass movements need organisation, discipline and strategy. Fringe groups trying to fight cops with weapons, however justified they may be, are not going to help your cause in any way.