Even back then, once the public support died down a bit they just had the NYPD bulldoze the whole thing. Since then the police have only gotten more brazenly violent against protests that are not in the establishment’s interests.

Shit will get “wild” when instead of picket signs and bullhorns, people start bringing rifles and pipe bombs. Otherwise the outcome of any meaningful protest will be the same no matter how many people show up: an unforgiving police crackdown.