A Day of Global Protest and Significant Events
Friday 21st November 2025 presented a tapestry of significant moments across the world, from powerful political demonstrations to cultural commemorations and security operations. The Guardian's picture editors curated striking photographs that captured the essence of global current affairs on this particular day.
In Johannesburg, South Africa, protesters participating in the Women's Nationwide Shutdown lay on the ground at Constitution Hill. The demonstration occurred ahead of the G20 leaders' summit, with Women for Change urging communities to abstain from paid and unpaid work while spending no money for the day. Their objective was to highlight the economic and social impact of women's absence and demand that gender-based violence and femicide be declared a national disaster.
International Commemorations and Tensions
Meanwhile in Lviv, Ukraine, a woman attended a ceremony at the Heavenly Hundred Heroes memorial commemorating activists killed during the Euromaidan protests. The event marked the Day of Dignity and Freedom, which honours both the 2004 Orange Revolution and the 2013 Revolution of Dignity.
In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Mohammad Dalal surveyed scorched cars in his scrapyard near Nablus. The damage was allegedly caused by Israeli settlers who set fire to the property, highlighting ongoing tensions in the region.
American citizens also made their voices heard as demonstrators in Decatur, Georgia protested against the construction of a data centre, gathering outside the DeKalb County board of commissioners' meeting.
Security Operations and Cultural Moments
Guatemala City witnessed a significant security development as special forces police escorted Ever Sinay, alias Cartoon, a leader of the 18th Street gang. He was one of 20 fugitives who had escaped from Fraijanes II prison and was recaptured with assistance from the FBI's Task Force Vulcan.
In North Korea, Kim Jong Un inspected the newly completed Hoeyang Army-People power station in Kangwon, while former US vice-president Kamala Harris promoted her book 107 Days at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami.
Other notable moments included the tragic funeral of 23-year-old Alan McCluskey in Drumconrath, Ireland, who died in a car crash alongside four friends, and the annual gifting of a Norwegian spruce from Oslo to London as thanks for Britain's second world war support.
The day's events collectively painted a picture of global activism, remembrance, and the ongoing challenges facing communities worldwide, all captured through the lens of photojournalism.
