On Friday, April 5, Columbia community members commemorating the life of Shani Louk gathered outside of the Reynolds Journalism Institute to protest an award given by Pictures of the Year International to an image depicting the body of Israeli-German dual-citizen Louk face-down in the bed of a moving pickup truck with Hamas fighters standing above her. One militant rests his feet on top of her. 

The image is the first of 21 photos that won the Pictures of the Year International Team Story. RJI hosts the competition, while POYi selects the judging panel.

The photo, submitted by the Associated Press, was part of a photo story depicting the moments and days following Hamas’s attack on Israel on Oct. 7. Louk was taken from a music festival during the attack. It is unclear if Louk was alive when the photo was taken, but she was later declared dead after the discovery of a bone fragment, though the specific cause of death was unclear.

In a statement, RJI wrote, “While we understand the reactions to the pictures, we also believe that photojournalism plays an important role in bringing attention to the harsh realities of war.”

The community members gathered at noon and left after about 30 minutes.

“[Louk] was murdered by Hamas terrorists,” Daniel Swindell, the Columbia community member who organized the demonstration, said during a brief speech. “A picture of her body being taken into Gaza was given an award by the Donald Reynolds journalism school. I think it’s a disgrace. And I think it’s disgusting. I hope they revoke the award.” 

Attendees stood with Israeli flags and posters reading “We [heart] Israel” and “Release the hostages,” as well as two posters memorializing Louk. 

Swindell recited poetry written by Louk’s grandmother, who expressed her disgust for the photo and its recognition on Israel’s X account. Meanwhile, Louk’s father, Nissim, supported the recognition of the photo. 

“It’s good that the photo won the prize, this is one of the most important photos in the last 50 years,” Nissim said in an interview with Israeli outlet Ynet News. “This is history. In 100 years they will look and know what happened here. I travel the world and everyone knows who Shani is.”

Local Rabbi Avraham Lapine attended and led the group in the Shema for Louk, a Jewish prayer that is traditionally said by a dying person before their death. 

There were further concerns about the award.

“The ethics of getting this award – you can look at both ways you know, maybe the world needs to see what happened,” Kelly Durante, an attendee, said. “But the fact that the mother and the grandmother are heartbroken by this speaks louder than anyone who would want to see it.”

Durante and others alleged that the recognized photographer, Ali Mahmud, had advanced knowledge of Hamas’s attacks on the day the militants kidnapped Louk, which contributed to their feelings that he should not have been recognized. This allegation, denied by the Associated Press, is echoed in an ongoing lawsuit by the families of music festival attendees who were killed and injured on Oct. 7 working with the National Jewish Advocacy Center.

According to an AP statement in response to the NJAC lawsuit alleging the photographer and other’s involvement in the Oct. 7 attacks, “AP had no advance knowledge of the Oct. 7 attacks, nor have we seen any evidence — including in the lawsuit — that the freelance journalists who contributed to our coverage did. Allegations like this are reckless and create even more potential danger for journalists in the region.”

Edited by Sophia Anderson | sanderson@themaneater.com 

Edited by Scout Hudson and Genevieve Smith | shudson@themaneater.com gsmith@themaneater.com 

Copy edited by Sterling Sewell | ssewell@themaneater.com