This image is taken from Michel Setboun’s third book about agencies. Eighty reporters were chosen to comment on an iconic image taken during their careers. The image we’re publishing today is a picture by Alain Buu.
“Pebbles rain down from the sky. I had covered the intifada in Israel and Palestine, but I had never seen rocks fly like that. It was February 2nd, 2011. For the past four or five days, anti-Mubarak protesters had been occupying Tahrir Square.
The day before, the president had given a speech calling on the “Egyptian people” not to be fooled by the “band of leftists” protesting in the square. Some 30,00 people answered his plea: plainclothes policemen, regime supporters and “thugs” released from prison and paid to wreak havoc. The situation quickly degenerated into an all-out battle. I left the square, taking the Talaat Harab up to the barricade. I tried from the left side but the protesters pushed me back. People refused to let me take their picture. Proud and nationalistic, the Egyptians didn’t want us to see them killing each other. I retraced my path back 50 meters and tried the other side. This time, they were so busy fighting that I was able to get close without them noticing. I pressed against the barricade to avoid the projectiles. Rocks arrived by the hundreds. We could hear the men on the other side just a few meters away. I took pictures with the viewfinder held out from my face so I could keep an eye on my surroundings. The second I took this picture, the man in the foreground, his mouth bloody, saw me and started yelling. He wasn’t crying out in terror or giving orders—he was telling me off! Three seconds later, the barricade collapsed. People started running for their lives. If you stepped on a rock you could twist your ankle and it would be all over for you. But in those moments, I felt very calm. I was caught up in the action and saw everything in slow motion. My senses were sharp. It was a very emotional moment. I had reported on my share of conflicts, but this was my first revolution.”
Interview by Kevin Erkeletyan
BOOK
40 ans de photojournalisme, Génération agences
by Michel Setboun & Marie Cousin
Editions de la Martinière
250 x 285 mm
240 pages
9782732464022
39 €
http://www.editionsdelamartiniere.fr
