Unmute Us - STEVEN R. TABOR

Unmute Us

I think its time we stop
Children, what's that sound?
Everybody look, what's going down?

            Stephen Stills
                                                            (For What it's Worth)

Why do people protest?

Unwinding COVID-19 restrictions is a complicated matter. As of September 2021 in Holland, social distancing is being replaced by the use of vaccine passports, and most shops, businesses and offices have reopened. But music festivals, discos, and nightclubs remain shuttered. To some, this is flat-out unfair. On a fall weekend, thousands of people took to the streets of Leiden to protest the continued closure of discos and dance festivals. The protest was part of a nationwide effort, called "Unmute Us", which was aimed at persuading the Dutch government to re-open the dance venues and allow big music festivals to proceed.

From a photographic vantage point, protest rallies provide an opportunity to catch people with their guard down. This series presents a selection of Dutch protest portraits, or faces in a crowd, of those who are trying to be seen---and heard.

If you'd like to see the full series, download the PDF catalogue here.