re: A Glimmer of Hope

And let's talk about the personal courage required to take up these positions - these "buffers" (only way I can describe them) are directly in harm's way - from both sides - they often turn their backs to the crowd to face the police and symbolically hold people back. Otherwise, they're facing the crowd with the police to their backs - they will be one of the last groups to figure out that the group behind them is surging and may get trampled, shot, whatever happens.

And they're not wearing body armor (or, at least not the ones I saw) - and most do not appear to have gas masks.

A lesson here, perhaps, at least an example (alternative to the looters) or, I like your initial thought "a glimmer of hope."