Final answer:
The question asks for proper punctuation in combining two independent clauses related to a demolition team working and a crowd protesting, with option (a) being a comma and conjunction, and option (b) using a semicolon and transitional phrase.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to sentence structure and punctuation, particularly in how to join two independent clauses. Option (a) uses a comma and conjunction to join the clauses: the demolition team began its work, and a crowd was protesting. This is grammatically correct and suggests that both actions are occurring concurrently. Option (b) uses a semicolon and transitional phrase: the demolition team began its work; meanwhile, a crowd was protesting. This also indicates that the actions are happening at the same time but emphasizes a contrast or shift in focus between the two clauses.