They walked into a crowded Wal-Mart with weapons out in the open. What did they expect would happen? Of course the cops responded with an AR-15.
I saw nothing wrong with the cop's actions. He checked their licenses and IDs, he was calm and courteous, and since the video stopped with them being outside I'd assume he just let them go after that. The cops responded to calls from concerned citizens, they checked the situation,no harm no foul.
You're quite right. What is made apparent by these exercises is how conditioned the general public (and the police) have become to regard openly armed citizens as a threat or a violation of law. When properly executed, as this one clearly was, the ultimate effect of these publicized confrontations will be that of re-conditioning the public (and the police) to understand that armed citizens are neither a threat nor are they outlaws.
One very thoughtful aspect of this exercise is that of having young girls present as lawfully armed citizens. This very clever
adjustment to the usual scenario plainly operates to eliminate the
macho element in the usually hostile reaction of police to openly armed, un-uniformed males -- which is a potent subliminal challenge to the
machismo element of the average police(man's) mentality. It would have been even more interesting if the police who showed up were young females. Because the incident might have ended with mutually admiring comments about each other's holsters and gunbelts.
As it was, and as you've observed, the exercise ended quite as it should and the publicity it received will have a productive effect on the local public's thinking about armed citizens.
Good work, girls! You did just fine!