I have a cousin in MD who has been trying for weeks to get any unemployment money. So far nothing.
I think the reason for the protests is basically because Unemployment isn't designed to handle this kind of flood. And because the government didn't do anything sooner, businesses went "Welp, you're all unemployed. Enjoy." and that was it.
So now you have alot of people who have no income, no unemployment checks, nothing... and I'm with ya, I have a hard time telling them they're wrong.
of course, they could always do farm work since crops are rotting in the fields due to labor shortage but god forbid they take back the immigrant jobs....