Luis Farage
Art is one of the most powerful forces in the world. Especially if it’s used as a weapon. The pen is more powerful than the sword. This is something authoritarian regimes and ideologies know very well. Photography is a great example of it. Since pictures like the one of Tiananmen Square are the perfect example. Now a similar one has arisen on the Czech Republic and becoming viral. In which a little girl scout stands up to a right wing extremist.
The picture itself is incredible. Not only for its aesthetics and perfectly timing but for his meaning and message. That despite having some variations on its interpretation, it’s pretty clear. Showing us as well that with simple few actions we can send away a big statement.
The mighty Czech girl
During May Day a counter-protest rally, held by the neo-Nazi Workers Party of Social Justice, in the city of Brno, Czech Republic quickly went viral. When a 16-years-old scout girl, Lucie Myslíková, a film, and animation student was calmly and peacefully confronting the neo-Nazi supporters in her uniform. Lucie was one of the several girl scouts, along with other 300 protesters, who rallied against a skinheads demonstration in the city on Monday. The right-wing extremist outnumbering them about two to one.
The picture captures the tenacity and moment of the bravery of Myslíková. Especially as the extremist she was confronting was older than her. Also, because he was saying to her that she will be raped by the migrants she was hoping to save. Since she and the extreme right-wing sympathizer were arguing about immigration and refugees. As she had told the man that countries had a duty to help others, especially those fleeing from war and conflict and that in those cases borders did not exist.
Lucie Myslíková talked about the moment with the BBC. “I wasn’t afraid. I went to the counter-demonstration as someone who was determined to change things. To me, it makes sense to try and change the world around me. I think young people should get involved in such things. They should be aware of what’s going on. You ask me if standing up to skinheads should be left to older people—well us, younger people, are going to be living here a lot longer than the older generation”.
She also added. “The main thing that’s struck me is that some people are now calling me an ‘extremist’, that being anti-fascist is somehow ‘extremist. That seems to be me the height of absurdity. Even if something had happened to me, physical wounds always heal in the end. But if I’d kept silent or if I’d decided not to get involved, it would have left a wound inside me that would never have healed”.
All over the world
The man who took the amazing and inspiring photograph was Vladimir Cicmanec, a computer programmer, and amateur photographer. Vladimir said he was inspired to take the picture by recent viral photos of people, particularly women, standing up to fascism. “I immediately thought of that photo of the girl from Birmingham and said to myself – this could be an interesting image too. So I start snapping away. I didn’t see the argument from the beginning – I was looking in another direction and a friend patted me on the shoulder – but I was just a few meters away from them.
The viral pictures Cicmanec is talking about are a new emerging genre iconic photos showing young women around the world standing up to injustice. As the “girl from Birmingham” that he referred was Saffiyah Khan. As she was photographed smiling in the face of an angered English Defense League protester back in April of this year. She stepped forward to defend 24-year-old Saira Zafar, whom protesters were harassing because of her hijab.
This kind of photography is nothing new
This has been going around sometime. Since in July 2016, on Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S., a photograph of Ieshia Evans standing calmly in a dress in front of a group of policemen went viral as well. As the policemen were wearing full combat gear. All of it during a Black Lives Matter demonstrations. Having a lot of similarities with Vladimir’s picture of Lucie.
Loading…