Its tough to be a protester in Canada

April 22, 2001 7:26 PM

Its tough to be a protester in Canada when the cops are taking aim at your crotch with laser sights.
posted by Brilliantcrank (10 comments total)

If I'm going to take a rubber bullet, I want the shooter to be aiming for the legs, which is what I think they're doing.

Probably. Though I suppose the cops might be thinking that the threat of a rubber bullet in the nuts is one way to send a strong message to the protesters coming after him.
posted by pracowity at 11:10 PM on April 22, 2001

Looks more like the cop is toting a light sabre.
posted by bradlands at 11:14 PM on April 22, 2001

I thought the same thing Brad.

I was also reminded of the movie The Great White Hype. There is a scene where guards are aiming weapons with laser sights at Jamie Foxx and he doesn't seem to care until they end up at his crotch.
posted by john at 11:29 PM on April 22, 2001

I have to wonder how bad the air is in Quebec, given you shouldn't be able to see a laser light in midair with that intensity unless there's some major pollution.

Or photoshopping.
posted by CrayDrygu at 12:53 AM on April 23, 2001

I was somewhat distressed to hear an NPR reporter interviewing a protestor who complained that the police were being excessively brutal... the reporter then narrated as protestors swarmed a fence and clubbed a police officer to the ground. It works both ways.

As for the photo, that looks like something starnge was happening with the exposure.
posted by Ravagin at 3:38 AM on April 23, 2001

Ah, CrayDrygu, mayhaps the high amounts of tear gas and smoke in the air had something to do with it....
posted by Ravagin at 3:39 AM on April 23, 2001

Emphasis on the words "with that intensity." I've seen laser light going through smoke, it's not that bright. If there were that much tear gas and smoke in the air, I doubt you'd be able to breathe.

I'm not saying the guy isn't using a laser sight and aiming at the guy's crotch, but I do think there's some embelleshment there. Maybe a little overexposure. I dunno.
posted by CrayDrygu at 6:45 AM on April 23, 2001

"I see your schwartz is as big as mine..."

sorry...
posted by Avogadro at 7:07 AM on April 23, 2001

May the force be with you....
posted by Postroad at 5:46 PM on April 23, 2001

That picture looks like it was taken in near dark (hence the graininess of what appears to be a video capture). When the overall scene was exposed correctly, the brightest thing in it glowed with an infernal light. Our eyes support a much wider dynamic range than film or especially video, so it's possible it would be rather dim to our eyes but bright to the camera. I wouldn't entirely rule out some doctoring, but it doesn't seem likely to me.
posted by kindall at 8:39 PM on April 23, 2001