Protests are a necessary, ever-present part of the sociopolitical landscape and have been for decades. Throughout recent history, photography has been integral in many ways: they spark, fuel, and document protests. In fact, many protest (especially those that went wrong) are remembered to this day because of the photographers who documented them.

One famous example—one that most will have heard about in history class—is the picture taken at Tiananmen Square: the man standing in the middle of a street, the four tanks lined menacingly in front of him. The event began as a months-long series of demonstrations, including protests, hunger strikes, and sit-ins. Though it is best remembered as a massacre, the photo prompts us to remember the people those tanks were targeting: protesters.

Photography isn’t only useful when documenting protests, however. Photographs can also spark and fuel protests. One example of this is a much more recent image: a young boy, dressed in a Spiderman backpack and a blue bunny hat, being ushered into a car by ICE officers. This image, taken of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, provided fuel for the anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis.

The power of photography lies in the fact that it documents real-life, irrefutable circumstances and broadcasts them to the world. They have the ability to capture humanity in its rawest moments, from a protestor staring down a tank to a terrified little boy being taken by federal agents. These photos speak to the public, either reminding us of previous political movements or sparking new ones.