The Law of No Surprises

Sometimes satisfaction is growing thin. Even demonstrations can bes een. In Japanese society surprises are not too popular and therefore everything is carefully arranged. Demonstrations are not an exception to that. The picture shows five police men on ten protesters and five spectators.


Sunday afternoon. Along a by the way empty main street it is mainly blue uniforms. A megaphone blares unintelligible but uproaring sounds.


A demonstration is set up. Many riot police, spectators and banners. But where are those demonstrators? And why all those riot police? Does a squatters movement exist here? Or hooliganism?

Ah, there they are! Those with the white helmets are the protesters. The others are the public.

Maken o mistake on the man on the left side of the flag. The mask... he has caught a cold.

It is a small Group. Sad thing for the organisers. The banners on the left mark the head of the procession (!). There are more spectators and riot police than protesters. Maybe nobody dares. And those who dare prefer to remain anonymous under a white helmet and beheind a veil. Where will this lead?

Without doubt the contribution of the police to this parade is showing off better. Such a float with flashing lights and megaphone and above all the balcony with four (!) riot policemen in best bib and tucker. They’ll surely get away with the first prize! div>

In the second (blinded) van a lady was hopping mad behind the microphone. Frankly speaking her screaming was not really benefiting the case.

And the spectators had not really warmed to it.

Time for a close-up. Demonstrators walk packed. Shoulder to shoulder, man on man. Police form an outer layer with arms length intervals.

Demonstrators are so closely packed that waling is possible only by marching (picture below). A second line of police on one meter outside the group protects the parade from the proximity of other traffic.

The whole procession.

And this is how the parade moves on. The blaring echoes under the Metropolitan Expressway. The demonstration was a success as lots of shouting was heard. The police are satisfied as no surprises occurred. The street was empty and is empty again. And it remained very calm in town for a long time.