The Battle for Minneapolis

Manu replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

What d'ya mean by propaganda?!

Thomas Broening replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

Dean. Thank you for taking a minute and looking at the work. I can understand not wanting this forum to deviolve into a political debate . For me art is the most effective when it has something to say. I think a lot about the work of my heroes. Robert Frank, Dianne Arbus and Richard Avedon’d photographs stay with me. And are without a doubt political.

Kodachomeguy replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

What propaganda? These are remarkable pictures in classic photojournalism style.

Bob Janes replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

Personally I found the reporting to be remarkably factual...

Hamish Gill replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

If this "propaganda" bothers you, you must really feel genuine pain at what the US administration and press churns out...?

Ibraar Hussain replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

It's called reportage/Photojournalism. The Fascist thugs are there for all to see, no propaganda required.

Tim Bradshaw replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

If this is propaganda, then a vast amount photojournalism is propaganda. But it isn't, and neither is this: these are pictures documenting things that happened. The words accompanying them do not express a political position: they also describe things that happened. Sometimes looking at pictures of things that happened can be uncomfortable, either because what happened was distressing (some of Lee Miller's famous pictures, a fair amount of Don McCullin's work), or because it's easier to believe that the things they show did not happen. So be uncomfortable: it is the business of art to make you uncomfortable.

Nathan replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

Thomas was brave enough to shoot these photos while cowardly ICE was hiding their faces and shooting bystanders. If you find the truth "divisive," the problem isn't these images, it's you.

Art Meripol replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

Too true Hamish. This is superb work. And the idea of shooting rangefinder cameras, not digital but film and being in and of the moment means so much. One of the great strengths of photography has always been its unique ability to widely share a moment in time. It is often used in a political way by both sides. This however is both artful and storytelling without judgement. Also it's nice to see this after a little time has passed when the images were fed to us daily. There is something to be said for taking a breath between the moment and reviewing. I bow to Thomas and the strength and nerve it takes to observe while in those very difficult situations.

Manu replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

I forgot to say thank you for the writing and the great photos.

Cdlinz replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

Yes these are powerful images and yes it took courage to get in the mix and capture them. That is all that needs to be said. But the commentary here predictably goes to 'fascism' 'thuggery' etc. You have Ibraar H spewing about US thuggery abroad and now domestic, getting his licks in there. So if commentary is going to go beyond the artistic, power and courageous aspect of this reporting I would like to point out that you have federal agents attempting to enforce federal law. You have a community that did not want that law enforced and physically engaging to obstruct (see images of protesters geared up for battle). I guess it was thuggery and fascism when the federal government intervened forcefully in the US South to enforce civil rights laws? Oh but wait I guess not - only because those are laws yall agree with. Oh and as a lifelong Southerner I'm glad the federal government went to war with the southern racial obstructionists my life here has been significantly enriched by the Black folks I’ve lived alongside.

cdlinz replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

To which US press do you refer? MS Now? NYT? Fox news? All of them?

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

There was interpreted "law" being selectively enforced by the current incarnation of the Brwon Shirts.

Alexandre Kreisman replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

I wouldn't qualify these photos as artistic, however this is pure without filter real photo-journalism. What I see on the images are part real Police officer and part para-military/mercenary/I do not know what (I haven't seen in Europe or the US a law officer not in uniform. What I see here are non Law Enforcement militia (seriously which Law agent would mask his face with a flag?) in some kind of combat garment with a patch saying Police). That was for the Pictures. Now to your main point : How the F**** dare you make a comparaison to 60's civil rights (much overdue by the way) with what is going on in your country right know (an sadly extending to the world). As this comment and the following one's you. have made are all on the same note, please let me you educate you a bit, as clearly you have absolutely no idea of the history of the 20th century, nor of your own country. People on these picture (not talking about the real Police officers) are pure Fascist/Xenophobe/a step away from the SS of WWII. This administration is far worts than the inexisting previous one. I thnk the last "correct" administration you had was in the 80's with Reagan and before that Eisenhower. Now, for the history of your country, since Korea, where the Us (mainly) really helped a country against fascism in the form of the north-communist, the Us only made war to make profit on some level: - Vietnam : used to be a French colony (as for the Belgian [I am FROM Belgium], the colonialist were awful with the indigenous people of the country) since the 1850's +/- and lost their colony to the germans in WWII. After the war, the French tried to regain it's colony, Ho Chi Minh, then in exile and wanted only to unify his country directly asked to the US president (I think Eisenhower at the time) for help to kick the French out and unify his country DEMOCRATICALLY. The US refused for various bs reason, then Ho Chi Minh asked the USSR (The communist Russians and their countries if you don't know the meaning) agreed to help the North Vietnamese and that is how Vietnam became a communist country. You (the US), fucked up this country and it's habitant, leaving to prison/reeducation camps or dead the people of the South Vietnam who helped you, often at the peril of their lives. You left a good portion for dead when abandoning Vietnam after 10+ years of war for nothing. The Us managed to send their youth and brainwashed them to believe it was for a good cause, where in fact they could have helped the Vietnamese earlier, not have a war, not have 50k + dead for NOTHING. Then you had some small wars, not really interesting until 1991 when Bush sr woke up and said to himself, shit if we loose the oil of Kuwait my program and re election are in trouble. He didn't have the balls then to destroy a Dictator because he was constantly in war with Iran, thus the Us already in deep financially with all the wars made in the 20th century, did nothing to Iran and let Saddam in place when US knew he was a person not fit to rule the country. (to be polite) Fast forward to 9/11, big wake up from junior who gave the world 20 years of war and so many dead, messed up, injured people whilst also having them believe they were doing the right thing. Again politics dictated most of the conflict, and after 20 years you abandoned again a lot of people, but this time straight to death. Also, the way you treat you vet is horrible. (you always have) Now, you are fucking with Iran and THE REST OF THE WORLD SUFFER because of a demented Us president. To sum up, since 1900, you NEVER had the balls to do the right thing, you entered WW1 after 3 years of war, you entered WWII in January 42 when the war started in September 39, you saved South Korea by mistake and never really recognised the poor souls who lost their lives or suffer there, you miserably failed to save Cuba from communism, you fucked up an entire generation of courageous men/young men who fought in Vietnam, then you did it again in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan (entering Afghanistan knowing you couldn't win, just look throughout history how many tribes/countries have tried and failed before you). So please, keep your comments for Art, and do not talk about what you do not know. Thank you A history buff!

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

Brown shirts...

Ibraar Hussain replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

Well said Gary. People used to take the Mickey out of Stasi ‘papers pleaze’ commie/ fascists, “we’ll Never get that over here…” oh wait!

Ibraar Hussain replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

Been a long time since then I think, for all of my life all I've reda and seen is the US bombing and invading abroad, it was only a matter of time before they turned on their own.

cdlinz replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

Oh Mr H. Just curious, do you disapprove of every US military intervention? Or just the ones since you've had consciousness? Or is there an official I. Hussain list of approval/disapproval? Please enlighten us.

Ibraar Hussain replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

Powerful images by the way! Great stuff!

cdlinz replied:

Comment posted: 15/04/2026

You throw around very ugly accusations very easily. Can you be more specific? Otherwise you sound like a hysterical ideologue.

Kodachromeguy replied:

Comment posted: 16/04/2026

This may linger as a stain similar to placing American citizens of Japanese origin in concentration camps in 1941 and the abuse and murder of black Americans during the Reconstruction era. Shameful.

Alexandre Kreisman replied:

Comment posted: 16/04/2026

Amen! Don’t forget James Nachtwey too

cdlinz replied:

Comment posted: 17/04/2026

Yep. New administration, same as the last administration.

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 17/04/2026

The current administration is EXACTLY like the one that took over Germany in the 1930's.

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 18/04/2026

Amen John!