this post was submitted on 17 Jan 2026
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HistoryPhotos

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HistoryPhotos is for photographs (or, if it can be found, film) of the past, recent or distant! Give us a little snapshot of history!

Rules

  1. Be respectful and inclusive.
  2. No harassment, hate speech, or trolling.
  3. Foster a continuous learning environment.
  4. No genocide or atrocity denialism.
  5. Photos MUST be at LEAST 10 years old, and ideally over 20. We appreciate that we are living through events which will become history, but this is ultimately not a comm for news or current affairs, but events which have occurred some time in the past.

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This is very recent, however this does feel like a picture future generations should see.

Source


Photo by Pierre Lavie. Yes this is me. And I threw my Leica. It landed on the bass plate with hardly a scratch. Another photographer grabbed it along with my phone and I was able to track him later. I was held face down tear gas deployed right in front of me and pepper sprayed directly into the eye.

-- John Abernathy

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[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 68 points 4 months ago (12 children)

After some discussion with the other mods, they suggested that this pic be left up for its importance, but a rule for a 'hard' age limit be implemented for all posts going forward. I preferred the flexibility of not having a hard limit when I took over this comm, but this seems the least troublesome option given the circumstances. This post will remain, but all future posts must be at least 10 years old.

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[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 152 points 4 months ago (7 children)

On one hand, I'm hesitant to keep up something this recent as 'history'.

On the other hand, Jesus fucking Christ, I hate living through history.

[–] CubitOom@infosec.pub 66 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

I understand if you want to take it down. I'm not sure on the technical requirements of a historic photograph. This did strike me as one however.

[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 36 points 4 months ago (9 children)

I think I'll leave it up for now for visibility's sake, but I'll probably remove it because it doesn't fit the 'archive' of things. I feel like at least a few years should pass before something is history.

[–] notabot@piefed.social 55 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Can I cast a vote for keeping it? History is happening right now, and it needs to be seen. Were it a more mundane event, I might share your opinion that it needs to wait before it is history, but this is part of a wave of events that is changing life now, and for the future.

The community sidebar says:

HistoryPhotos is for photographs (or, if it can be found, film) of the past, recent or distant! Give us a little snapshot of history!

I would say that this is definitely a snapshot of recent history, and it will reverberate for years to come.

[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 27 points 4 months ago (2 children)

I'll sit on the thought for a bit. Please remember, though, that this comm is not meant to be for news, no matter how important.

[–] logi@lemmy.world 13 points 4 months ago

But on the third hand, that photo though. I'd not be surprised to see it at this year's World Press Photo exhibition. What it lacks in history it makes up for in the photo part.

[–] arin@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

We're making history here in US, and it's very similar to historical Germany

[–] tanisnikana@lemmy.world 23 points 4 months ago

I think the line between history and current events is blurry, but I think that line exists around midnight of the previous night. These are tumultuous times with lots of history being made.

I think this photograph should stay.

[–] CubitOom@infosec.pub 12 points 4 months ago

Ok, I'll look for a better home for it.

[–] CubitOom@infosec.pub 8 points 4 months ago

I've post this in a few different communities. So feel free to delete if it is deemed to be in conflict with the spirit of the community.

[–] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 6 points 4 months ago

slaps you

.......what? The slap? That was 5 seconds ago. It's already in the past. It's history.

[–] U7826391786239@lemmy.zip 6 points 4 months ago (2 children)

at least a few years should pass before something is history

the thing is that images like this, while definitely being historical, will probably become illegal at some point. imo it's important to spread these thing as far and wide as possible, even if it's "new"

we are living through america's transition into fascism, and very likely its complete collapse. the sub "rules," i think, should be the least of your concerns at this point

[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

we are living through america’s transition into fascism, and very likely its complete collapse. the sub “rules,” i think, should be the least of your concerns at this point

Fuck man, I'm stressed about the state of my rotting fucking country 22/7, let me have my two hours of enjoying history per day.

[–] U7826391786239@lemmy.zip 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

i'm sorry dude. your posts are always great, please never stop

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[–] Serinus@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

Which can be done in another community.

On the other hand, this looks so much like the historical pictures and events we've seen that it blends right in.

[–] user224@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 4 months ago

!remindme 50 years

[–] makyo@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago

Yeah it might be historic but it isn’t history. Leave it a few teas though and it may as well be both.

[–] turdburglar@piefed.social 3 points 4 months ago

well of all the threadiverse posts of this image, this one has the most discussion.

pls leave it.

[–] ThePantser@sh.itjust.works 24 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Jesus fucking Christ, I hate living through history.

Right there with you, remember when there was a time that years would go by without huge events. Ever since 2001 we have been on this rollercoaster of once in a lifetime events.

[–] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago

God damn. I WANTED to make a 9/11 joke, but as I started trying to think of it, it just became too distasteful. So instead, please enjoy steamboat willie instead!

[–] zeca@lemmy.ml 4 points 4 months ago (3 children)

Is ot cause you started to pay attention in 2001? I feel like this rollercoaster started around 2015, whichis when i started paying attention.

[–] moonshadow@slrpnk.net 2 points 4 months ago (3 children)

What got your attention in 2015?

[–] zeca@lemmy.ml 4 points 4 months ago

The impeachment process of Dilma in Brasil, and the terrible economic and educational reforms that her successor passed in 2016.

[–] Serinus@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

Probably Russian propaganda electing a Manchurian candidate.

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[–] swelter_spark@reddthat.com 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I feel like it was already going when I was born. The Cold War was a pretty big deal at the time. Every day felt like the entire world was going to end at any moment.

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[–] GreyEyedGhost@piefed.ca 15 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I think this has a good chance of being an iconic photo of a historic time. I wouldn't say it's as immediately significant as a picture of the astronauts on the moon, or as unique, bit this is one of the best pictures I've seen to show the new depths of fascism in America. Freedom of speech? Freedom of the press? As they tackle and arrest a person whose most dangerous weapon is a camera. This kind of thing has certainly happened before, and more often recently, but you bet America and the world will be talking about situations like this using images like this when we next (hopefully) get past this horrible phase and talk about how things got so bad and when it happened.

[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I think it's a great and powerful pic, I just think "This will be historical in the future" is not really what the comm is meant for.

[–] GreyEyedGhost@piefed.ca 4 points 4 months ago

I just came across your final decision from an hour ago, and its a pretty fair stance. Glad it's staying up, can respect not wanting to curate what current events might just be historic.

[–] acockworkorange@mander.xyz 7 points 4 months ago

May we live in less interesting times.

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[–] logicbomb@lemmy.world 58 points 4 months ago (4 children)

I wanted to find where this photo came from, and so did a search, and only came across a Facebook post. All of the comments seem to be mocking him or making light of the situation. What a pathetic time we live in.

[–] Deceptichum@quokk.au 33 points 4 months ago

If it helps, half those comments are probably a troll farm. The other half sadly are sincere.

[–] blimthepixie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 points 4 months ago

What else would you expect from Facebook comments?

It's like being shocked that comments on Mumsnet are psychotic and unhinged 

[–] EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com 7 points 4 months ago

I'd take everything on Fascbook with a grain of salt

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago

Facebook's depravity can only be surpassed by Twitter's

[–] Zink@programming.dev 15 points 4 months ago

Accidental Reichissance!

Good on you guys for leaving this image up. This photo may not be old enough to be history, but it is obviously historic.

[–] texture@lemmy.world 11 points 4 months ago

this pic goes extremely hard. respect to the photographers and all the people on the street

This is what a patriot looks like.

[–] EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com 9 points 4 months ago (1 children)
[–] eestileib@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 4 months ago

Anybody need a fly half?

[–] Coelacanth@feddit.nu 6 points 4 months ago

One of the best photographs I've ever seen. A chilling indictment of fascist America yes, but what a fucking shot.

[–] moseschrute@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Ooof not the Leica. Not sure what model that is, but Leicas cost like $2-8k

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