A look at our collection reveals hundreds of photographs documenting protests, marches and other forms of activism across the decades.
On 15 February 2003, in one of the largest anti-war rallies in history, millions of people in approximately 800 cities around the world took part in protests against the impending invasion of Iraq.
These photographs of demonstrations and social and political activism from our collection have been selected to mark the 10 year anniversary of one of the biggest protests in history.
Most of these images are taken from the photographic archive of the Daily Herald newspaper, which comprises over 3 million photographs from 1911 to the mid-1960s, and offers a fascinating record of local, national and international events during this period.
Revolution in Petrograd, Russia, 1917. © Karl Bulla / Science Museum Group collection Russian peasants demonstrate in Red Square, Moscow, 1917. Daily Herald Archive, Science Museum Group collection Women’s section of hunger marchers en route to London, April 1930. Daily Herald Archive, Science Museum Group collection Unemployed demonstration, Hyde Park, 27 September 1931. George Woodbine, Daily Herald Archive, Science Museum Group collection Women demonstrating outside cinema on the The Sunday Entertainments Act, 28 November 1932. George Woodbine / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Anti-semitism protest, 26 March 1933. George Woodbine / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Crowds at Labour demonstrations, 17 June 1933. Edward George Malindine / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Communists in Swansea protest arrest of Pollitt and Mann, 1934. Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Women hunger marchers, Euston Station, 1934. James Jarché / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Men standing on bollards to watch a demonstration, 4 March 1934. Edward George Malindine / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Police restrain crowds as Fascists demonstrate, Hyde Park, 9 September 1934 / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Anti-Nazi demonstrators gather in Hyde Park, 27 October 1935 / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Crowds at a meeting in Trafalgar Square, 15 August 1935. Harold Tomlin / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Anti-war demonstration, 3 May 1936. Harold Tomlin / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Texan cowboys demonstrate at a Democrat convention, 23 June 1936. Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Women and children in rally to Trafalgar Square in support of Spain, 6 September 1936. Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Girls dance after strike at East London rubber works, 8 September 1936. Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Fascist demonstrator arrested in London’s East End, 4 October 1936. Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Mounted policeman falls with horse during Fascist demonstration, 3 October 1937. Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Fascist demonstration, 3 October 1937, George W. Roper. Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Chinese woman holding banner, 17 October 1937. Harold Tomlin / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Residents demonstration, 28 July 1938. Edward George Malindine / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Rent strike demonstration in East End, 7 August 1938. Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Muslims marching through London, 18 August 1938. Harold Tomlin / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Pensioners protest, 23 November 1938. George W. Roper / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Civil service demonstrators lie in road to protest their cause, 1939. Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Man with ‘sweated labour’ placard at civil service demonstration, c. 1939. Science Museum Group collection Mothers and children on a milk demonstration, 15 May 1939. George W. Roper / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Protest March, 25 May 1939. Harold Tomlin / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection General de Gaulle celebrates freedom for France, 28 August 1944. Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Ramblers’ Association demonstration, 30 June 1946. Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Jewish demonstration against government policy in Palestine, Trafalgar Square, 7 July 1946. Bishop Marshall / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Jewish demonstration against government policy in Palestine, 7 July 1946. Bishop Marshall / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Aircraft workers demonstrate their support for London squatters, 17 September 1946. Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Housewives League demonstration at the House of Commons, 30 January 1951. G. Warner / Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection ‘Pylons Before Poverty’ Call at Atom Station Inquiry, 13 February 1958. Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Kenyan Asian demonstration in Whitehall, 25 February 1958. Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection Gypsy families stage a demonstration about schooling for their children, 1968. Daily Herald Archive / Science Museum Group collection
