Snapshot in time

Seriously, I've been silent during the protests not because I have nothing to say. Au contraire, a couple of us normally apolitical folks are analyzing our surroundings by the hour. I as it happens have been on the road a lot, as usual, but for personal travel, missing every exciting weekend since the protests started. I don't feel I've missed much. I get enough of an idea in my weekdays. Including an afternoon off when the office was worried that the protesters were going to advance towards us, effectively blocking off traffic.

Instead, I offer an earlier snapshot I took before the mess got bloody. They've created their own little society in the corner, selling food, red shirts for potential converts, souvenirs, heart-shaped clappers (valentine overstock that just happened to be the right colour?), you name it.

The gathering was entirely peaceful. Mule-headed but peaceful. I don't condone the fact that they are likely behind some bomb and grenade attacks and definitely the blood dumping, but it wasn't the type of behaviour I saw in their sit-down protest. Their biggest overwhelming factor was number, not arms. Which, to me, renders the speculation of a third party instigating the shooting this weekend (yellow-shirters, perhaps?) entirely plausible.