The hope is obvious, isn't it? That CEOs will be afraid of violence, and since their life is probably the only thing they value more than maximising profit, they might hesitate before signing off on price-gouging.

I'm not saying this is going to happen. I have no idea what's going to happen. But your "why on earth" and "the only possible result" made it sound like you couldn't see what good people are hoping might come out of it. And I think it's not completely impossible.