Everyone wants to see this captain hung out to dry because he didn't act to intervene. Pilots are perceived as sky gods by many, neutered by company policies in reality, and thrown under the bus when the company or traveling public need an 'out'.
I don't think thats true. I don't believe any of us know all the circumstances, but my feeling is most people are not blaming the pilot.
Personally I feel sorry for all concerned - the pax obviously, but also the staff and the LEO. No one wanted this. No one. It quickly spiralled out of control and went somewhere no-one anticipated. There were some latent risks, and in this case the holes started lining up.
But in general (and not pertaining specifically to this case), I suspect PIC are at risk of getting caught up if someone else makes an error or oversteps his/her authority. If there is a major problem
onboard, then I don't think a suggestion that PIC has zero responsibility will fly.
Overall I think the public treats pilots with a substantial degree of respect and esteem. However the attitude of a few here doesn't help. And all sorts of people read this site.