Photo defines Black Lives Matter

A photograph of a lone US protester has come to encapsulate the Black Lives Matter movement and drawn comparisons to the Tiananmen Square "Tank Man".

A protester is grabbed by police officers in riot gear

A photograph of a lone US protester has come to encapsulate the Black Lives Matter movement. Source: AAP

As racial tension rises and protests against police brutality rage in the United States an image of a young woman standing defiantly before heavily-armoured riot police has drawn comparisons with the 1989 Tiananmen Square "Tank Man".

The photograph of the lone black woman standing up to officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is being adopted as a representation of the Black Lives Matter movement.

"Brave Lady in Baton Rouge - Brave man in Tiananmen Square," one tweet read.

The photograph has spread on social media after it was taken by Reuters photographer Jonathan Bachman on Saturday.

Mr Bachman said the woman was arrested without violence but did not say anything or resist.

"It happened quickly, but I could tell that she wasn't going to move, and it seemed like she was making her stand," Mr Bachman told The Atlantic.

"To me it seemed like: `You're going to have to come and get me'."

Protesters have taken to the streets after two black men were shot and killed by police in Louisiana and Minnesota last week.

Five Dallas Police officers were also killed on Thursday night when a man opened fire on officers during a Black Lives Matter protest.


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Published 11 July 2016 7:30pm
Updated 12 July 2016 6:44am
Source: AAP


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