Final answer:
The best use of punctuation in the given options is c) the demolition team began its work; meanwhile, a crowd was protesting the destruction of the building. In this option, a semicolon is used to connect two independent clauses that are closely related, allowing for a smooth transition between the actions happening simultaneously.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best use of punctuation in the given options is c) the demolition team began its work; meanwhile, a crowd was protesting the destruction of the building. In this option, a semicolon is used to connect two independent clauses that are closely related. The semicolon gives equal importance to both clauses while indicating a slight pause between them. The word 'meanwhile' is also used as a transitional phrase, providing a smooth transition between the actions happening simultaneously. Using a semicolon in this way helps to maintain clarity and structure in the sentence, improving overall readability.