If I look at it cynically from a strategic position this is probably why it is done.

Hit the civilians so that they go to the streets against Putin.

That's probably the idea. I just know of no case where this had worked (but I might just miss all the successful examples in history).

Sadly it is the normal people who suffer most.

Problem is that for just saying something like "no to war" at the street you can be inprisoned for years in Russia. Goverment have so much brute forces like police and OMON so they can handle anything.

I saw videos of Ukrainian civilians stopping your country's tanks with their bare hands.

Now go check out the video of a 10 years olds getting arrested for holding a sign with “No war” on it.

https://youtu.be/YlVkGERhHkg

I'd rather protest together with the kids and get jailed, beaten and tortured than to run like a coward and let the fascists take over.

I'm in college now, they threaten to expel me if they see me at a rally. And there's an army right there, and most likely to the front...

Of course you do.

and still let the fascists take over

Putin propaganda says that russian military forces has been ordered to minimize collateral damage as possible. (minimize != avoid. just minimize)

So, if civilian could stop tank with bare hands just because he is civilian, not a soldier, not trying to kill russian soldiers or throw molotov bottle to tank - may be (just may be, I am not sure) this part of propaganda is true or at least truthy

Actually for protest it's only 15 days.

And in our time in Ukraine in 2014 we didn't let Police to drag people out of crowd. We hold the line. But your people for some reason allow police to drag individual protestors.

That's sadly.