Misan Harriman, renowned photographer and activist, is set to resign from his role as chair of London’s Southbank Centre. This decision follows weeks of scrutiny from right-wing tabloids regarding his remarks on the April 29 incident in Golders Green, north London. Harriman clarified in an Instagram video that his choice to step down was made prior to the media criticism in May. Notably, Harriman, who hails from Nigeria, made history as the first Black photographer to cover Vogue in September 2020.
Harriman wrote, “It’s semi-public knowledge that my term is coming to an end anyway, my actual term. I had decided way before this madness that I was going to do two terms.” A Southbank Centre representative confirmed to Hyperallergic that Harriman will not pursue a third term and will leave his position this autumn. They added, “Succession planning is already underway, with further details to be confirmed following our annual general meeting in July.”
In May, over 100,000 formal complaints were lodged with the United Kingdom Independent Press Standards Organisation concerning right-wing media’s portrayal of Harriman’s social media comments about the Golders Green attack as antisemitic. Essa Suleiman is charged with stabbing two Jewish men in the predominantly Jewish area in April, an act the local police labeled a “terrorist” incident. Suleiman is also accused of stabbing his friend Ishmail Hussein, a Muslim, hours earlier. This violence led to calls from Prime Minister Keir Starmer to tackle antisemitism in the UK.
Harriman criticized the media’s perceived neglect of the third victim, Ishmail Hussein, which led to accusations from the Telegraph that he was spreading “conspiracy theories.” The publication also highlighted a video where Harriman discussed the right-wing Reform Party’s electoral success, referencing a quote by Susan Sontag about the Holocaust. This was interpreted by some as a comparison between the party and the Nazis, sparking further controversy.
Harriman revealed on social media that he received death threats following extensive media coverage of his social media activities. He told Hyperallergic in May, “I’ve organized for Black Lives Matter, championed women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, transgender protections, and for the Ukrainians during the war, and no one has had a problem until I started speaking out against Israel’s genocide in Palestine.” Additionally, over 33,000 people, including Greta Thunberg, Brian Eno, and Hozier, have signed a letter organized by the UK’s Good Law Project denouncing the treatment of Harriman, describing it as a “smear campaign.” Harriman stated, “Truth itself is on the line; just because these right-wing and frankly racist newspapers scream the loudest, it does not mean it is the truth.”
