The rabbanim are telling people to be calm and engage in only non-violent protests. Given that the other side is threatening mass arrest (tens of thousands thrown in prison – think of the last time someone threw tens of thousands in Jews in prison, and you understand its a sensitive matter), most people are showing restraint. Since the crisis may be resolved amicably, the rabbanim don’t want hotheads to provoke matters.
Of course, in three years, after the first “aktion” against a yeshiva (if it comes to that), I suspect that hareidim who have chosen to serve in the IDF will have to decide between being zionist patriots or being part of the hareidi community.
And they weren’t just wearing “wrong” clothes. They were wearing the uniform of the oppressor. This is somewhat worse than wearing a Yankees cap in Brooklyn in the 1950s – closer to wearing a button saying you’re a member of the Japan Friendship Society in January 1942 – except “war” hasn’t been declared yet, emphasis on “yet”.