“It’s not what we do!”
Reuters photographer Dylan Martinez heard the words echo in chaotic scenes in London on Saturday, when mostly peaceful anti-racist protests turned into violent fights with counter-demonstrators in the region.
Then he saw the man who had spoken them – a black protester emerging from the fray carrying a injured white man in a “fire engine lift” over his shoulder.
The photo he took went viral on social media and was published in newsletters, capturing a moment of great drama that merges with the wider story – anti-racist and far-right protesters who are fighting.
“I saw a skirmish and someone fell to the ground,” recalls Martinez of the moment near Waterloo Bridge in central London as he covered protests against racism that broke out in the city.
The two men then appeared through the crowd.
“The crowd parted right in front of me. I was in the right place at the right time and incredibly lucky from that point of view. He came towards me walking briskly.”
Martinez said the transported man had facial injuries and Reuters journalists at the scene said he was beaten in a skirmish with anti-racism protesters.
Some in the crowd shouted that the victim of the attack was a member of the far right.
Reuters could not identify the victim or his political tendencies. Police said they were aware of the incident and the photograph, but made no further comments when Reuters asked for details about the identity of the men and what happened.
Protests broke out in British cities and around the world after a black man, George Floyd, died in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25.
In some cases, they have launched counter-demonstrations of people who do not agree with all of their objectives and methods, and these have included people belonging to far-right groups.
British media have identified the black man as Patrick Hutchinson, a personal trainer. On his account on social media, he wrote: “We saved a life today”.
Reuters spoke to Hutchinson’s best friend’s partner, who confirmed it was him. Hutchinson did not answer calls on his cell phone.
He told British Channel 4 News on Sunday that it was a “scary” scene. “It was quite hectic, it was almost like a stampede.
“… The guys got in there, sort of put a little cord around him to keep him from further physical damage. His life was in jeopardy.
“So I just got out, picked it up and put it on my shoulders and started walking towards the police with him while all the guys surrounded me and protected me and the guy I had on my shoulder. “
In a statement released on Sunday, police said 113 people were arrested over the weekend and 23 police officers were injured in the violence, none of them seriously.
The reaction of social media to the image and the events it represented was largely positive.
“In the midst of ugliness, a beautiful moment of humanity,” wrote British journalist Piers Morgan in a Tweet accompanying the photo.
Martinez, a seasoned photographer who is the Reuters image editor for the UK and Ireland, said that the protests in London on Saturday had been fluid and unpredictable.
After witnessing minor and sporadic clashes between protesters and police in Trafalgar Square, Martinez said he had diverted attention from the nearby Waterloo Bridge, where several hundred anti-racist protesters had gathered.
“They took over the whole bridge,” he said. “There was a traffic jam from south to north, but the atmosphere was good – the cars were honking their horns and people were partying.”
The mood quickly became unpleasant when they met a group of counter-protesters and clashes broke out, said Martinez.
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
