It is, bad tactics. They're caught in the 'revolutionary mood' which has set France on fire. Those journos are 'part of the establishment' after all. Well, yes, they are and also they tend to side with activists, two things can be true at the same time. There are exceptions to that rule, maybe they very selectively beat up reporters? Anyway, that's still outside the realm or 'normal protests'.

Have you ever BEEN to a protest? Especially the ones where people are doing something clearly illegal?

The nicer people will tell you to fuck off with the cameras.

The less nicer people will break your camera and/or beat you.

Yes, I have been to protests. Protests are not illegal in the Netherlands, you can go very far - especially if you protest for the 'right causes' - before you're stopped by the authorities. Protesters want to be seen protesting, that is what they do it for.

What you're describing is not protest but vandalism. The first is allowed, the second is not. That is what I said after all, that this rabble did not 'walk the path'.

But you see, it became very trendy since about 2016 or so to make "a riot is the language of the unheard" a thing again. And thus we get the 2020's protests.

These people don't care if its vandalism, its morally righteous to them, and so its not vandalism, its a humanistic protest.