The main difference being that the protestants did not do so for nearly a millennia - Protestantism righted itself in a matter of decades. And ALL of Protestantism cannot be painted with that brush - The Anglicans and Calvinists perhaps, but not the whole lot... One of the virtues of a distributed model.
Pssst, Baptists, KKK, Slavery, Did you manage to forget that connection?
“...Protestants did not do so for nearly millenia...”
This statement is not supported by actual history.
The Arians murdered St. Paul of Constantinople circa 350 A.D. for his adherence to the correct understanding of the Trinity. The Arians were protestants who did not believe in the Trinity - they were responsible for many persecutions and cruelty against the early Christians who held onto the correct doctrine (the Catholics) handed down from the Apostles.
Medivial peasants on both sides were unlearned peasants who were prone to viciousness and violence. Virtually none could read.
Almost everyone was illiterate. Research the sack of Rome in 1527; Protestants had no qualms pillaging and burning with the rest.
St. Melletius ora pro nobis