I think if their primary role was to clear the crowd they should have dropped a tear gas canister and split

That's only half joking though, because in that case they wouldn't have singled out a few people.. there were more protesters than just those sitting in a circle.
If they have a responsibility to keep violence from escalating then why did they start it? (I view inflicting pain on someone as violence so that is where I'm coming from on that one..)

Nah you wouldn't catch me at a occupy protest, like I said in the beginning I don't agree with them, but I support their right to protest.