Using Ahimsa when dealing with the authorities

In Hinduism and Buddhism, "ahimsa" is the principle of non-violence, an ideal that every soul should strive for. It means to do no harm to other beings, whether animal, plant or human. It means following the Golden Rule. To truly live ahimsa, one needs to do more than avoid violence. The person must renounce all feelings of retaliation, anger and revenge, no matter how justified those feelings are.
I've watched several videos of police clashing with activists in America, and it always upsets me. The videos usually follow a similar pattern: Activists try to push the envelope, the authorities issue unconstitutional orders, activists refuse to obey the illegal orders, and then the activists are arrested for "resisting arrest without violence" or "disturbing the peace".
 But what if the activists incorporated the principle of ahimsa? They are already refraining from physical violence, but that doesn't matter to modern cops. What if the activists resisted the urge to argue and yell? It's a difficult thing to ask, those moments of confrontation are charged with adrenaline. But if activists behave in a way that challenges the police, the police will of course feel threatened and retaliate. The police consider their fellow officers to be brothers and sisters, and activists to be trouble-makers. When they feel attacked emotionally, they will attack in return and stand up for their fellow officers. They are waiting for you to screw up. Why play into their hands?
Incorporating ahimsa could lead to a new strategy in dealing with police. First, if at all possible, follow their orders. Remain calm while doing so. As you are complying, explain to them politely why they are in the wrong. Appeal to them as fellow Americans, as fellow human beings, as fellow mothers or fathers. Mention our Founding Fathers. Most importantly, explain that you are not against THEM, you are against whatever issue you are demonstrating about. Use phrases like "I know this is just your job..." or "I know you are just trying to follow orders and keep things safe". they will appreciate it. They are also fellow human beings. They should be treated nicely, not necessarily because they are nice, but because you will be taking the moral high ground by embracing ahimsa. Then they will feel worse about pushing you around*. And it will look much better on youtube. Recently I saw a video where a black man was shot multiple times for boarding a bus without a ticket. He lay on the sidewalk, struggling and dying as police and an angry, yelling crowd gathered around. They had every right to be angry. But  what if someone had started saying a prayer for the dying man, or singing a hymn? The video would be twice as famous, and the cops would have looked twice as bad. The public response might have been different. A yelling crowd is a dangerous "riot" to TV viewers. People singing over the cops is something to inspire generations.
Ahimsa is not groveling to the police. There is no shame in it. It takes a strong person to control their anger. No one can stand against the force of non-violence, not the British empire in India, not the bigots of the American south. Ahimsa shall overcome.

Anyone interested in police brutality, check out www.copblock.org

*All this does not apply if you happen to deal with a cop with Anti-social personality disorder. They will NOT sympathize with you. In that case, keep your mouth closed and God help you.