You're right that a 'law is only words unless there's someone who will inflict a penalty'. The question we've seen over the past few weeks however is 'who watches the watchmen?'

The answer is, apparently, nobody. The police should not be above the law they're enforcing. The only thing that's changed is that with the mass adoption of smart phones we're able to see from multiple angles how deep the corruption goes.

There are too many laws. If there are too many laws then their monopoly on violence becomes tyrannical.

The police make a mockery of the law because they get away with murder. Protesters want reasonable laws enforced for everyone regardless of race or profession.