People were busy with their lives. Now that there's mass unemployment (=time and anger), a generally hated administration, and even more videos of police brutality all over the place it's all bubbling up.

Ferguson. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferguson_unrest

Are you suggesting we shouldn't protest now because we haven't protested at such a scale in a while?

There have been protest since King, though not at this scale, no. The current circumstances are Political with a capital P, the class of things that can reshuffle a society. If this isn't the time to protest for redress of grievances, then there is no time.

And I disagree if you're arguing that protesting is not essential.

>doesn't care if there's a pandemic or not

I am suggesting that the our reaction to the issue very much depends on whether there is a pandemic or not, and that the vigor of these protests is not despite the pandemic but because of it.

I can respect and admire the decision that you personally dying of COVID-19 is worth it in order to express this grievance, but the nature of infectious disease is it's not just yourself that you're sacrificing here.