A woman stands tall, shoulders strong, her arms poised at her sides, dressed in a floor length dress as heavily armed police officers charge at her on the street.
That’s the striking image taken in the streets of Baton Rouge, Louisana, which has gone viral in an incredible display of defiance and protest after another of America’s most harrowing weeks of gun violence.
The woman, since revealed as 28-year-old Ieshia Evans, was one of more than 100 protesters arrested on Saturday during demonstrations over race-fuelled violence by police.
The photo was taken by photographer Jonathan Bachman for Reuters, but has been shared widely, including by prominent journalist Shaun King who described it as “powerful”.
“Look at her posture. She is balanced, powerful, upright and well grounded with both feet firmly planted on the earth,” Jamie West commented on the post.
“Look at the line made from the crown of her head to the heels of her feet. She is only protected by the force of her own personal power.”
“By contrast, the officers have the transitory, temporary, protection of their equipment that will be removed at the end of their shift. They are rocked back on their heels, knocked off balance, and appear about to fall over backward, just from the power of her.
“This is a legendary picture. It will be in history and art books from this time.”
Evans is a nurse’s assistant from New York with a young son, according to the Daily Mail, and travelled to Baton Rouge because she was “overwhelmed with emotion” following the death of Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old black man who was shot several times after being tackled to the ground by two white police officers last week.
Top Comments
Why is that Deray character still around? He's been all about stirring the pot, never about providing closure.
While I do agree with the protests especially after the terrible blatant murder cases of late, I understand why the Baton Rouge police were out in force during these protests. Considering the last protest, 11 police officers were shot, they needed to be vigilant.
It does not excuse their aggressive, unreasonable force but it does explain their excessive approach.
I feel the racism in the American police force is just another thing the US needs to reform (along with gun control and healthcare etc).