Yesterday, around 3,000 people demonstrated against a WTO in Geneva. While coming back from the super market I saw a really bizarre scene in the middle of the riot police and dissipating clouds of tear gas: I was walking through my neighbourhood Paquis, a part of town where the streets are lined with middle-aged prostitutes and drug dealers.
At a street corner there was a big gaggle of riot police who had set up an improvised command post the and were processing a group of young people who had been arrested. To the left and right passer-bys were taking photos with their mobile phones while prostitutes stood in the doorways, probably bemoaning the lack of customers.
Damaged shop window. Photo: Cavorite
Then, all of a sudden, a wedding part showed up on foot in the middle of all this. The bride in her white dress, the groom and all their friends slowly made their way through the police cordon to go to wherever they were heading. It’s too bad I didn’t have a camera. The contrast of them, the whores, police in riot gear and people being tied with wire straps and loaded into police transporters was truly bizarre.
Definitely too bad you didn't bring a camera. Would have loved to see that scene!