if the troops and cops decide its time to really not play nice it will get really ugly really fast. and while numbers are nice the quality/quantity of arms may prove more than the protesters bargained for. best hope is enough troops and cops switch sides
Problem with mowing down the protestors is it will drive the moderates to pick sides. I don't like the OWS crowds. Most of the folks here don't like the OWS folks. But if troops and cops started mowing them down in job lots for daring to question the government... I have a feeling most of us would not take kindly to such things.
Taking off the gloves is fine, if you have the guts to go the whole way and enough indoctrinated cadre to enforce your will.
If you bluff and folks call it, you have an actual civil war.
If you bluff and REALLY fumble it, you have NATO and Russia fighting a hot war on your turf.
I think even the corrupt politicians know that Russia wants to regain control of the Ukraine. If it becomes bad enough that significant Russian forces are needed to hold power, said Russians are not likely to leave at the end of the war.