This kind of photo bugs me because it’s completely staged. The security is just parked there to make sure the protest remains peaceful, which it does. Another few hours of standing around and his shift will be over, and he can pick up his groceries on the way home. Oh yeah, and wrapping paper for his daughter’s 6th birthday.

Then of course there are a few photojournalists taking pictures. Photo opportunity!!!

A girl sees the cameras, and wants to get on the news / get an epic photo for facebook, so she gets up in the officer’s grill and composes a shot of defiance for the photographers.

So the photo is not “the people defiant against the oppressive government”, it’s “fame-whoring teenager seeks epic facebook update while officer Steve wishes it was friday.”