If I wandered into one of the protests and started calling for an understanding of an accused rights, I'd be fucked.

I totally agree the cops killed this man and many others and should be punished for their crimes, which typically when such cases get to court, dudn happen, which seems wrong.

But, the cops involved do have rights, just like the protesters have a right to peacefully protest things they disagree with, or at least they did until the implementation of The Patriot Act, which itself is an unconstitutional piece of legislation, but that's a whole 'nother discussion