Last month, while covering protests in Minneapolis sparked by the killing of George Floyd, photojournalist Linda Tirado was blinded by a foam bullet fired by police. Now, she's suing the city and its police department, and using her last photo as proof that she was targeted despite being clearly identified as press.
Hong Kong police held a press conference yesterday to discuss the anti-extradition bill protests that have been raging this week. Photojournalists showed up to the presser wearing helmets, gas masks, and safety vests in protest of the excessive force they say police have been using against them.
I am troubled by what I have seen.
In recent weeks, we have witnessed terrible, on-going episodes within our borders through photos and video that speak volumes about the tragedy of race. Racism is as old as human history, and there is a long, rich history of capturing race conflicts in the US by photographers like Charles Moore, Bruce Davidson, Gordon Parks and others.
But in this post 9/11 world, the balance of power has shifted towards authority -- militarized officers outfitted with high-powered machine guns and body armor straight out of central casting for a Michael Bay film who seemingly police differently depending on the color of your skin.