WINNERS
La Boum
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PhotographerShanna Badot, Belgium
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PrizeGold Winner in Photojournalism/Conflict
These photos were taken in the Bois de la Cambre, in Brussels, during the Covid-19 pandemic. At that time, gatherings—even outdoors—were no longer allowed. Parks were one of the few places we could still go. So, to show our frustration, we decided to meet there, simply to picnic and spend time together. But the authorities responded with violence: tear gas, water cannons, horses driven into the crowd, riot police. These images show how far a government can go to control its citizens—even when they’re doing nothing dangerous. It raises the question: does our safety really outweigh our freedom?
