Luckily it's only those "fringe elements" that are getting tear gassed, attacked with rubber bullets and batons, or being arrested. As both the media and the government have stated they are the problem.
It doesn't matter who is looting or causing damage to property if their actions are being used to justify retaliation against every protester.
Separating the "fringe elements is being done by the media and the government to allow more authoritarian responses. It is not being done out of goodwill for the law abiding protesters.