Bottom line: the police will not come if called on to disperse a crowd anymore.

Seattle Chief of Police warns business and residents that her hands are tied

The key statement here is that the Chief of Police correctly will not ask her officers to go into a crowd control situation undermanned and outnumbered without proper crowd control tools that have been used by crow control law enforcement across the globe for decades. 

There is nothing in the constitution, or nothing logically that allows for a group of rioters to be provided with a "fair fight" against the Police. The Police BY DESIGN are provided with tools that makes sure that such a confrontation is NEVER a fair fight. The Police always should be provided with the tools that allow for a small group of law enforcement to control a much larger group, when that larger group threatens the safety of the citizens or threatens the sanctity of private or public property.

By taking away the tools (such as pepper spray, tear gas, rubber bullets, etc) it becomes almost impossible for the police to control a crowd. There is nothing to suggest that police officers (or any small group that is not a fictional group of superheros or ninjas) have the capabilities and training to otherwise detain a much larger group of people through simple hand to hand combat. The suggestion that they try is simply an invitation for police officers to be assaulted, injured, or even killed.

Without the tools necessary, and without the protections garnered Police from personal liability for the injuries of criminals... there is literally no good reason for the Police to respond to any calls to break up any riot or any large group of protesters.