The alternatives are shooting machine guns at them from tanks. See Syria. Innovations in non-lethal weaponry (especially ones that are not gas weapons) is always going to be an improvement. No injuries and no deaths from this kind of chaos is the ideal to strive for.
Considering how fast the media has been able to find the identity of the "kissing" couple, I would not be surprised if a number of the looters and vandals are already in custody.