Protests on the roads in the middle of Sunday night in the center of Seoul

It is just minutes before 11:00 PM on Sunday night at the center of Seoul. Hundreds of protesters including students ruled the nights' roads instead of cars on the Capital. They shouted, "Shame on the import procedure of the US beef, " which is their outcry on the recent and on-going protests over the US beef import including over 30 months cows' meat. The police were following the demonstrators even they were on the road not on the passengers' side road. Was that right? The government does not want to poke the feelings of the students in the fear of bringing up the other more violent and severe protests, which would make, in the police's mind, the situation worse? Is it right choice for the government who should be responsible for the law and order.