That was a terrible incident that should have NEVER occurred and is NEVER acceptable. Period. No player or coach should ever verbally or physically abuse any official of any game. Coaches should be, and generally are, given a little latitude in strongly disagreeing with officials during games and being able to voice their opinion to them in a "sideline meeting" and that should absolutely be ok as long as it doesn't become personally verbally or physically abusive.
However to say that no one should criticize officials simply because they are officials is absolutely absurd. They are not above criticism, especially when they are as bad as some I've personally seen this year and obviously it's not just me.
With that said officials should be protected at all times before and after games by police. We know the vast majority of them work hard and do the best they can, but there are times that they do need to be called out.
I agree with 90 percent of what you posted above. Still not sure why people feel officials need to be called out?
Aren’t coaches yelling at them? Aren’t players, especially captains in football, allowed to object to a call? Never understood why fans, at least forty yards away think their protests will make a difference. Think basically it makes them feel better? Are officials perfect? Definitely not. Do they miss calls? Oh yeah. Is screaming, often obscenely, at them helpful? Not really sure?
And I think fans are often a wee bit biased. I am guilty as well. Some day, and hopefully I’ll be gone by then, I figure we will all watch a broadcast of high school games on TVs. No fans allowed in the games. Due to not being able to provide for the safety of the officials.
Remember, without officials, it would just be a bunch of teenagers running around on a pretty field like a PE class…