You are right andy its not the way to gain support but it is the way they are getting their message across & getting it debated by all, ourselves included.
Don't think I support their actions because I don't, you can chuck the whole lot of them in the Thames for me & I wouldn't blink, but they have the legal right to protest & have the balls to do it, however when they overstep the mark as they seem to be doing recently I'd happily turn a blind eye to a spot of police brutality
I have been known to protest legally when something is wrong going back years, miners strike, poll tax, petrol & even for your right to ride a motorcycle without restrictive & pointless regulations (MAG) yes it causes disruption but that's the point (as above) As much as I detest them I don't see that these fuckwits are doing anything I wouldn't do in support of my beliefs.
If the rest of the country stood up for their beliefs instead of being armchair critics maybe the muppets in government would finally take notice of us normal folk & something would get done, frigging brexit for a start !