They are probably covering their ears because someone next to them is screaming at them with a megaphone...
A lot of Protestors are counter productive.
"you have to cause a scene and make people uncomfortable to make them hear you"
Maybe in certain cases. But in a lot of cases they apply this logic, it just makes people despise them. Like gluing yourself to public places, throwing paint on valuable art, and blocking rush hour traffic. Screaming at people with a megaphone in their ear isn't going to get sympathy.