ENTRY DESCRIPTION
During a deeply controversial anti-lockdown protest in Sydney, Australia, where many unmasked protesters gathered to oppose NSW’s coronavirus health orders, protester Kristian Pulkownik, allegedly strikes mounted police horse Tobruk in the head, while wearing a shirt with the words ‘Free Speech’ printed on it, on Saturday, July 24, 2021. (Steven Saphore)

The interaction caused mass outrage and concern for the animal’s welfare as the image circulated widely online, with one article calling it “the photo that shocked the nation.”

The next morning, NSW Police revealed the 33-year-old man had been charged for allegedly striking a police horse during unauthorised protest activity and was subsequently incarcerated.

The viral image spurred debate about media manipulation and animal cruelty: Did Pulkownik actually punch the horse? Should police use horses? Many news sources condemned Pulkownik’s actions while others questioned the veracity of the image. At the same time, social media was flooded with messages of support for the horses involved, sympathetic to the scenarios they faced.

While there was a strong community rebuke of the rally, I was soon subjected to a barrage of online abuse, receiving abusive comments, messages as well as death threats from members of the right-wing, anti-vax & anti-lockdown community who were angered by the photo. Many falsely claimed had been manipulated and misrepresented anti-lockdown protesters in the media.

AUTHOR
Steven Saphore is a freelance photojournalist based in Sydney, Australia. He is a contributor to Australian Associated Press, AFP, Sydney Morning Herald and others.

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