Something seems not right here

I found the above picture in looking through the Reuters Best Photos of the Day for yesterday. it's photo #21 if you go hunting.

The caption that goes with the photo reads thusly:

French lawyers clash with policemen as they protest against a judiciary reform during a visit by the Minister of Justice Rachida Dati in Colmar, eastern France, November 5, 2007. (FRANCE)

REUTERS/Vincent Kessler

I'm all good and well with lawyers protesting. In fact, it's the second photo of the day to show lawyers protesting somewhere in the world, the other being one of Pakistani lawyers (#5 in the slide show) protesting the country's recent crackdown on just about everything that would fall under the banner of freedom.

It's a little weird to see lawyers protesting, sure. And it's a little weird to see folks protesting in gowns or - in the Pakistani photo shown at the bottom of this post - in a suit. But the French lawyer photo just seems to have something else wrong with it. The lawyers all look like they're having a fun time jousting with the police. They're grinning and look like they might even be laughing. One of them is even cheesing for the camera. In another photo from the same event, even the police seem to be grinning and taking the "protest" pretty jovially.

Leave it to the French to screw up a good protest. Sheesh...

Here's the Pakistani lawyer photo, by the by...


Now that's a protest.

or a new dance step...

I am totally going to hell for that last comment, aren't I?