and, don't confuse yourself as to what the protesters are thinking, either.

there's this media narrative that they're carefully trying to extract concessions. listen - i've been in these actions, and you're giving these people too much credit.

what they're actually thinking is that they're going to generate an uprising in the working class. they're not aiming for anything particular. when they tell you they'll be there until the end of colonialism, they're talking literally - that's exactly what they intend.

but, they also know they'll get arrested. they're waiting for the cops to come in, and that's a part of the intended optics of the action.

in their minds, it's something more akin to a race against time. they're hoping, and some of them are maybe even praying, that they can get to critical mass before the cops smash through and send them away. they know better, but they hope otherwise. it's not game theory, it's base desperation. and, recognizing that is the actual reason why it's so important to show restraint.

this isn't a group of savvy negotiators trying to extract concessions, it's a group of desperate poor people that don't know what else to do.

and, when they inevitably fail, as they expect to, they'll come back again later. 

because you can't kill hope with logic.