Misan Harriman, the 48-year-old photographer and activist, has announced he will step down as chair of the Southbank Centre in autumn 2024, following months of controversy over his social media posts. The decision, made in January, was delayed due to internal processes, but critics in right-wing media have celebrated it as a victory.
From headhunter to protest photographer
Harriman's journey from a City headhunter to a celebrated photographer is remarkable. After turning 40, his wife Camilla gave him a camera, and he began documenting protests. His first viral image was of England hockey player Darcy Bourne at a Black Lives Matter protest in 2020, holding a sign reading: "Why is ending racism a debate?" The photo was shared thousands of times.
In August 2020, British Vogue editor Edward Enninful selected Harriman as the first Black male photographer to shoot the magazine's cover, featuring footballer Marcus Rashford and model Adwoa Aboah with the tagline "Activism now." He later photographed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's family portraits in 2021 and received an Oscar nomination in 2024 for his short film.
Social media firestorm
Harriman's outspoken social media presence has drawn criticism. In May 2024, the Telegraph accused him of sharing a post containing a "conspiracy theory" about the Golders Green attack, questioning coverage disparity for the Muslim victim. Critics said this minimised antisemitism. Harriman defended the post, noting others like Mehdi Hasan made similar arguments.
He also faced backlash for quoting Susan Sontag on Holocaust percentages after the UK local elections, where Reform party gained seats. A Times editorial called it "distasteful in the extreme," and Reform's Robert Jenrick labelled him a "crass moron." Karen Pollock of the Holocaust Educational Trust asked: "How on earth could yesterday's election results ever be comparable to the Holocaust?"
Support and smear campaign
More than 60 MPs and peers wrote to culture secretary Lisa Nandy, calling for an investigation. In response, Nandy asked Arts Council England and the Charity Commission to review the Southbank Centre's handling. However, Greta Thunberg, Tracey Emin, Gary Lineker, and Pulitzer winner Benjamin Moser signed an open letter decrying a "dishonest smear campaign." An online pledge of support garnered over 100,000 signatures.
Harriman believes his treatment stems from his race and refusal to stay silent. He quotes a Voice article saying he is "occupying institutional space while refusing to become politically mute." He draws parallels to the Reginald D Hunter case, where a judge threw out a prosecution by the Campaign Against Antisemitism, saying the group aimed "to have him cancelled."
Future projects
Despite the controversy, Harriman continues his work. He has a new film and a TV series in development, and his documentary 'Shoot the People' is screening in UK and Irish cinemas and streaming in the US on Watermelon+. He remains active on social media, posting about drone strikes in Sudan and African teams at the World Cup.
