Thaddeus Pope Documentary Photography

Documentary Photographer and Photojournalist based in Japan

Protest Photography

Protest

Photography and Text by Thaddeus Pope

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The Iraq War began with the US-led invasion of March 2003. To many of us in Britain, it seemed less a last resort than a declaration that the United States and United Kingdom were willing to act without the shelter of international law or the consent of public opinion. Kofi Annan later said the invasion was not in conformity with the UN Charter and, from the Charter’s point of view, illegal.1Iraq war was illegal and breached UN charter, says Annan. The Guardian, September 16, 2004 These photographs are my record of how that dissent looked and felt.

This is not a comprehensive history of the war. It is a record of why I opposed it, what it felt like to protest it, and how those protests changed once the invasion went ahead. The Iraq Inquiry (also known as the Chilcot Inquiry) later concluded that diplomatic options had not been exhausted and that military action was therefore not a last resort. It also found serious failures in planning for the aftermath. John Prescott, who backed the war as deputy prime minister, later said Britain had broken international law by joining it.2Chilcot Report: John Prescott says Iraq War was illegal. The Independent, July 10, 2016

None of this requires sentimentality about Saddam Hussein. He was a merciless dictator. But the question was never whether his regime was brutal; it was whether force was justified before peaceful options had been exhausted. I believed then, and still believe, that inspections, deterrence, sanctions, no-fly zones and containment were better than a war of choice whose consequences proved far bloodier and more destabilising than its advocates admitted. By 2023, Brown University’s Costs of War project estimated that the Iraq and Syria wars had caused more than half a million deaths and created roughly $2.89 trillion in US budgetary costs and future obligations.3Blood and Treasure: United States Budgetary Costs and Human Costs of 20 Years of War in Iraq and Syria, 2003-2023. Costs of War, March 15, 2023

My objections were also personal. I feared the war would break Iraq apart, drive civilians from their homes, destabilise neighbouring states and send some of its consequences far beyond Iraq’s borders, including into Europe. That fear was not misplaced: by July 2007, UNHCR said Syria and Jordan alone were sheltering an estimated two million Iraqi refugees between them. I carried a more intimate dread as well: a close childhood friend and my cousin were both serving soldiers, and once Britain committed itself I knew they might be sent to Iraq and might not come home.

In the run-up to the invasion, I felt compelled to act – helping to organise local protests and travelling to London whenever I could for the national marches. It seemed inconceivable that a government could ignore both the arguments against war and the scale of the opposition to it. That confidence peaked on 15 February 2003. The Sunday Telegraph called it a ‘one million march against war’; other estimates put the crowd between one and two million, making it the largest political demonstration in British history. The government went to war anyway.4One million march against war. The Telegraph, February 16, 2003

After the invasion, the emotional weather changed. Protests often felt less like pressure on policy than assemblies of anger, grief and disenfranchisement. The rise of the so-called Islamic State would become one of the ugliest consequences of the invasion and the disorder that followed. In 2015, Tony Blair acknowledged that there were ‘elements of truth’ in the argument that the Iraq War was the principal cause of ISIS, and admitted that those who removed Saddam in 2003 could not deny responsibility for what followed.5Tony Blair is right: without the Iraq War there would be no Islamic State. The Guardian, October 25, 2015

The photographs in this portfolio trace that arc. They begin in expectation – placards, banners, crowds that still believed they might be heard – and move into the flatter, bitterer mood that followed once it became clear that even the largest protest in modern British history could be absorbed and ignored. They document public dissent, but they also record my own education in what democratic politics can and cannot prevent.

The demonstrations of 2003 did not stop the invasion or bring swift accountability. Even so, they helped leave behind a stronger constitutional expectation that a prime minister should seek House of Commons backing before taking Britain into major military action. Measured against the scale of the catastrophe, that is a modest legacy. It still belongs to the history these photographs preserve.

Text and images copyright © Thaddeus Pope. All rights reserved. No unauthorised use, reproduction, distribution, or publication without prior written permission.

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The European Social Forum was a recurring international conference established to allow “social movements, trade unions, NGOs, refugees, peace and anti-imperial groups, anti-racist movements, environmental movements, networks of the excluded and community campaigns from Europe and the world to come together and discuss themes linked to major European and global issues, in order to coordinate campaigns, share ideas and refine organising strategies” (Wikipedia). Held in the historic Renaissance city of Florence, Italy, the slogan of the first European Social Forum was "Against war, racism and neo-liberalism” – a specific reference to US president George W. Bush's plan for regime change in Iraq. The forum ended with a huge demonstration against the potential war in Iraq, which some sources estimate was attended by 1,000,000 people. Image copyright © Thaddeus Pope 2002.
Demonstrators at the first European Social Forum, whose Florence meeting ended with a mass march against the looming war in Iraq. Florence, November 2002.
In 2002 protestors and campaigners from around the world visited Florence, Italy for the 1st European Social Forum (2002). Image © Thaddeus Pope
Campaigners gather in Florence for the first European Social Forum. Florence, 2002.
Following a day of action by thousands of local schoolchildren, who had walked out of their classrooms in protest against the Iraq War, the police were out in force in the centre of Brighton (2003). Image © Thaddeus Pope
Police try to contain an anti-war demonstration led by local school students who had walked out of class after the start of the Iraq invasion. Brighton, 21 March 2003.
A group of young British Muslim men march down Whitehall during a peaceful anti-war protest in London, England (2003). Image © Thaddeus Pope
Young British Muslim men march down Whitehall during an anti-war protest. London, 2003.
“Blair Must Go!” Trafalgar Square, London, 2003. Image copyright © Thaddeus Pope 2003.
‘Blair Must Go!’ Trafalgar Square, London, 2003.
Anti-war protestors hold a banner that reads, ‘NO MORE BLOOD ON BRITISH HANDS’ on Brighton Seafront, England (2003). Image copyright © Thaddeus Pope
Anti-war demonstrators carry a banner reading ‘No More Blood on British Hands’ on Brighton seafront. Brighton, 2003.
A banner that reads, ‘NO MORE BLOOD ON BRITISH HANDS’ hangs from a window of Embassy Court in Brighton, England (2003). Image © Thaddeus Pope
A banner reading ‘No More Blood on British Hands’ hangs from Embassy Court. Brighton, 2003.
An anti-war protestor wearing white face paint dances through a line of riot police on Brighton Seafront, England (2003). Image © Thaddeus Pope
An anti-war demonstrator in white face paint dances in front of a line of riot police. Brighton seafront, 2003.
A man is injured after police clash with anti-war protestors on Brighton Seafront, England (2003). Image © Thaddeus Pope
A man is injured after clashes between police and anti-war demonstrators. Brighton seafront, 2003.
A British policeman during an anti-war protest against the invasion of Iraq in Brighton, England (2003). Image © Thaddeus Pope
Police clash with protesters during an anti-war demonstration. Brighton, 2003. (1 of 3)
Armed with a baton, a British policeman uses force to control crowds of anti-war protestors in Brighton, England (2003). Image © Thaddeus Pope. (1/2)
Police clash with protesters during an anti-war demonstration. Brighton, 2003. (2 of 3)
Armed with a baton, a British policeman uses force to control crowds of anti-war protestors in Brighton, England (2003). Image © Thaddeus Pope. (2/2)
Police clash with protesters during an anti-war demonstration. Brighton, 2003. (3 of 3)
“Smash Capitalism”, London, England, October 2004. Following a day of seminars, workshops and cultural events at The Third European Social Forum – an event which focused on addressing major European and global issues, with particular attention paid to coordinating efforts against the ongoing occupation of Iraq – tens of thousands of antiwar and anti-capitalist protestors held an impassioned demonstration in central London. Image copyright © Thaddeus Pope 2004.
After a day of events at the Third European Social Forum, demonstrators march through central London under the slogan ‘Smash Capitalism’. London, October 2004.
George Galloway, the then Member of Parliament (MP) for Bradford West, discusses the ongoing conflict in Iraq with a group of anti-war demonstrators in Trafalgar Square, London, UK. Image copyright © Thaddeus Pope, 2004.
George Galloway, then MP for Glasgow Kelvin, speaks with anti-war demonstrators in Trafalgar Square. London, 2004.
Brian William Haw was an English protester and peace campaigner who lived for almost ten years in a peace camp in London's Parliament Square from 2001, in a protest against UK and US foreign policy. In 2007, Brian Haw won the Channel 4 News award for Most Inspiring Political Figure (2004). Image © Thaddeus Pope
Brian Haw at his Parliament Square peace camp during an anti-war demonstration. London, 2004.

Alongside photographs of the marches against the Iraq War, I have included images from the wider period documenting the 2001 May Day demonstration, the 2002–03 Fire Brigades Union dispute, protests against student “top-up” fees, demonstrations by the Pensions Action Group, the Nation of Islam’s ‘Million Man March’ in central London, and protests against the 2006 Lebanon War.

Protest Photography by Thaddeus Pope
Protesters hemmed in by police near Oxford Circus during the May Day demonstration. London, 2001.
“FAIR PAY IS 30K” Fire Brigades Union (FBU) demonstration, Hyde Park, London, 2002. In December 2002, 20,000 firefighters and trade unionists from around the UK marched through the centre of London demanding fairer pay for British firefighters. As night fell over the city and the demonstration drew to a close, the crowd heard Fire Brigades Union General Secretary Andy Gilchrist “douse hopes of a swift end to the dispute with a combative speech warning that the union would pull out of mediation talks at the first sign of Government intervention” (The Guardian). Image copyright © Thaddeus Pope 2002.
‘Fair Pay Is 30K’ – Fire Brigades Union demonstration in Hyde Park after a march through central London over firefighters’ pay. London, December 2002.
Following a massive demonstration in central London, which saw 20,000 firefighters and trade unionists from around the UK march through the streets of the capital demanding fairer pay for British firefighters, Fire Brigades Union (FBU) General Secretary, Andy Gilchrist, speaks to a news television crew in Hyde Park about the events of the day. Image copyright © Thaddeus Pope, 2002.
Fire Brigades Union general secretary Andy Gilchrist speaks to television crews after the demonstration. Hyde Park, London, December 2002.
Opposite the 2004 Labour Party Conference in Brighton, members of the Pensions Action Group attempted to draw attention to their plight by marching along the seafront and performing a "Full Monty" striptease on the beach under the groups slogan “Stripped of our Pensions”. "The group is protesting about the insufficient amount proposed by the government to resolve our pension robbery. We are not asking for assistance - we want the restoration of our pensions that we have paid for," said a spokesman (The Guardian). Image copyright © Thaddeus Pope 2003.
Members of the Pensions Action Group stage a ‘Full Monty’ protest opposite the Labour Party conference under the slogan ‘Stripped of our Pensions’. Brighton, 2004.
Students gather in Parliament Square to protest against the introduction of top-up fees in the UK, London, 2004. In January 2004 – an hour or so after this photograph was taken – Tony Blair’s Labour government won its vote to introduce student top-up fees, thereby allowing British universities, by law, to set their own level of tuition fees, rather than adhering to the rate previously set by the government. Though the introduction of student top-up fees faced widespread opposition, with many arguing it would create a two-tiered education system in the UK, the government was able to narrowly win the decision with 316 voting for the bill and 311 against. The rate set by the government at that time was £1,050 a year for undergraduates. Ten years later, the average annual cost of tuition fees in the UK is now £9,188, which makes university tuition fees in England among the highest in the world.
Students gather in Parliament Square to protest against top-up fees on the day MPs voted 316–311 to give the Higher Education Bill its second reading. London, 27 January 2004.
Two members of the Nation of Islam (NOI) stand next to a British red telephone box during the “Million Man March” between Parliament Square and Trafalgar Square in central London. Image copyright © Thaddeus Pope, 2004.
Two members of the Nation of Islam stand beside a red telephone box during the ‘Million Man March’. Central London, 2004.
In a demonstration of solidarity between the two groups, Christian nuns and members of the Nation of Islam (NOI) march together down Whitehall during the 2004 Million Man March between Parliament Square and Trafalgar Square in London. Image copyright © Thaddeus Pope, 2004.
Christian nuns and members of the Nation of Islam march down Whitehall during the ‘Million Man March’. Central London, 2004.
Standing on a platform in Trafalgar Square against the backdrop of Nelson's Column, minsters from the Nation of Islam address a large crowd of their followers during the Million Man March, London, England, 2004. Image copyright © Thaddeus Pope 2004.
Nation of Islam ministers address the crowd in Trafalgar Square beneath Nelson’s Column during the ‘Million Man March’. London, 2004.
At the end of the 2004 Million Man March in London, against the backdrop of Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square, children from the Nation of Islam sing “Heal the World” by Michael Jackson, London, England, 2004. Image copyright © Thaddeus Pope 2004.
At the end of the ‘Million Man March’, children from the Nation of Islam sing Michael Jackson’s ‘Heal the World’ in Trafalgar Square beneath Nelson’s Column. London, 2004.
Following a day of action in central London which called on the UK government to help de-escalate the violent 33-day conflict between Lebanon and Israel known as the 2006 Lebanon War, an anti-war demonstrator rests against Hyde Park Gate next to a pile of discarded placards. Image copyright © Thaddeus Pope, 2006.
After a day of protest over the 2006 Lebanon War, an anti-war demonstrator rests beside a pile of discarded placards near Hyde Park Gate. London, 2006.
Thaddeus Pope Documentary Photographer Japan

Thaddeus Pope

Documentary Photographer

Based in Japan, I work as a photographer, videographer, and web and print designer, with a particular commitment to human-centred visual storytelling. I am available for assignments in Japan and internationally. To get in touch, please use the contact form or email info@thadpope.com. I can also be found on social media via the following links.

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