The amount of police force being used on students protesting is insane

It's not really insane

I'm on the side of the protesters but it's normal for this kind of thing to happen.

Since Hong Kong, COVID has been a huge deterrent for these kinds of protests. The same people yelling and holding up signs in large groups will be sniffling and feverish in the next few days. They then either stop protesting or spread their sickness to other like-minded people. Happened during the George Floyd protests and that was pre-vaccine.