Not so, the court replied. “Men, because of their anatomy, are able more often to indulge in public urination, so the city of Ghent may install more urinals than toilets,” the judge ruled. In other words, as the alderman in charge of the festival Lieven Decaluwe pointed out, “men simply urinate in public more than women do,” so the city’s right to take action to prevent them.

“You may think it's a laughing matter,” complained Baharak Bashar, leader of the action group set up to protest the problem, “but it's a worry for women. Women and men are being treated unequally, even though they both have the same need to empty their bladders.”

The same need, but not the same solution, as previous years' experience has shown. Decaluwe's claim is upheld by the figures: most cases of public urination involve men, despite the way nature – and clothing trends – have made it easier for them. For people living in the centre of Ghent, who every year have to suffer loud music, crowds of revellers and drunks, the problem is very real, and the cost to the city of cleaning up the mess is quite substantial. While it may seem the city is full of good cheer for ten days every year, for many there is a serious downside.

The group is also complaining that women will have to pay a 50 cent fee, while the men can go for free. The court also rejected that complaint. “The cost of maintenance of the women's toilets is higher than for the urinals,” the court said. “Let the polluter pay.”