I recall 'hard hats' wading into the throng of hippies in Times Square and doing what 'New York's finest' could not--kicking butt until they had cleared the place out.
The guys on the TV station (Washington D.C.) were going "Well wouldya look at that!" at the feed, and NOT decrying it at as some evil abrogation of civil rights...
Must have been a beautiful thing to see!!!!