Along with the pink water, tear gas was thrown to break apart the vigil. The people, who are part of group that oppose Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni’s government, were participating in a ceremony to remember nine people who were killed during protests in April. Reuters photographer James Akena captured the entire scene. I’m not sure if this can be classified as anything other than madness. [Reuters, Image Credit: Reuters/James Akena]
Ozoneocean
Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 11:05 AMWell at least they didn’t attack the people physically- like in Syria etc.This seems weird but it’s better than the alternative.
HunterSBonobo
Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 11:56 AMMy guess is that the dye was used so they could be later identified
Aliasalpha
Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 12:35 PMGiven that it’d take more effort to fill the water cannon with pink dye than with water I suspect you’re right.
Sad thing is that it’ll probably be used as evidence that the people in question are gay and giving them the justification to murder them in a non official ‘mob of bigots that will never be investigated even if they look suspiciously like police officers’ manner.
Sevrin
Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 12:44 PMWhere was this pink dye water cannon during the UK riots!
Forget your pixelated CCTV footage for identifying guilty parties… “That guys there officer… the bright pink one!”
Crime solved!
Stephen
Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 1:42 PMMakes perfect sense. Even if the dye washes straight off, the people sprayed are likely to want to wash it straight off (i.e. leave the ceremony/gathering/riot).
ChemZ
Thursday, August 18, 2011 at 6:11 PMAin’t no one looking pretty in pink…