For a guy who was selling loose cigarettes? Maybe so.
Or, if they really felt it necessary to arrest him, maybe they could spend a few more moments and try to talk him into a peaceful surrender (after all this was not some kind of crime which threatened public safety) or maybe tase him, or pepper spray him, or, heck, throw a net over him?
For the heinous crime of selling loose cigarettes, it seems like a few things could have been attempted before resorting to excessive force.
Of course, such actions would admittedly have diluted the cops' demonstration of exactly who was boss, and deprived them of the exhilaration they surely feel when executing the forcible takedown of a resisting suspect.
I agree with the thrust of your comments!