Photographs of a dramatic ACT UP demo in Paris from 1992 are being exhibited by Alf Le Flohic for World AIDS Day 2015.
The AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power (ACT UP) was a direct action group founded in New York in 1987 to highlight the situation of people with HIV/AIDS.
ACT UP New York staged a series of public protests called the Day of Desperation in 1991. With just a single drug treatment of limited benefit available (AZT), ACT UP Paris was inspired to stage its own event La Journee Du Desespoir in 1992.
ACT UP PARIS founder Didier Lestrade spoke about the aim of the day, “We will fill the streets to show our anger and despair. That’s all. Because today Paris is the AIDS capital of Europe. Because our friends are dying…”
Being the lucky winner of a Valentine’s Day competition organised by The Argus Newspaper, a young gay man from Brighton found himself in Paris on that very day.
“After going up the Eiffel Tower, I recognised the word SIDA (AIDS) on poster and realised a demo was about to take place.“ says Alf. It read: “We are desperate because 330,000 people are living with HIV in this country. Show your despair. Demonstrate your anger before it is too late.”
Alf recalls: “Holding banners and chanting, the crowd suddenly started running. We were storming The Louvre. Within minutes the decorative fountains were running blood-red from food colouring. The gendarmes caught up with us and we were moved on. As we passed The Seine, fake coffins being held aloft by protestors were launched into the water.”
At a time when the fight against AIDS was moving painfully slowly, it was a moment of action. And as the slogan of the movement declared: Action = Life.
Alf rediscovered his photographs this year whilst preparing for the Brighton Pride 25 exhibition at Jubilee Library.
The exhibition Because our friends are dying… is being staged to raise funds for The Sussex Beacon, kindly sponsored by Colourstream and Nick Ford Photography.
Event: Because our friends are dying – A Photographic Exhibition
Where: Oxford Street Studios, 19 Oxford Street, Brighton
When: Monday, November 30 – Tuesday, December 1
Time: From 10am – 8pm
There will be a drinks reception on Monday, November 30 from 5pm with a tombola, limited edition prints and red ribbons to raise money for the Sussex Beacon.
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