The horror from the worst mass shooting in US history frozen in time. This event reinvigorated the gun control debate. Photo: David Becker/Getty Images
Camera IconThe horror from the worst mass shooting in US history frozen in time. This event reinvigorated the gun control debate. Photo: David Becker/Getty Images Credit: Getty Images

From Las Vegas horror igniting the gun laws conversation to the tweet that unleashed the ‘silence breakers’

Lexie CartwrightNews Corp Australia

Here are the powerful photos that sparked change in 2017.

LAS VEGAS MASSACRE

This was the haunting photo that captured the terror of the worst mass shooting in US history: a woman in pain on the ground as a terrified man lay on top of her, caressing her face in his hands.This image was taken in the minutes after Stephen Paddock opened fire from his Las Vegas hotel room on October 1, executing 59 innocent people at the Route 91 Music Festival.

The heartbreaking photo went viral around the world and, for the first time, the gun laws issue was a conversation that was finally being taken seriously in the US. A majority of politicians came to a consensus that banning bump stocks, which allow semi automatic rifles to fire bullets as rapidly as automatic weapons, was common-sense gun legislation after Paddock used the attachments in the attack. Just this week, Columbia followed the lead of Massachusetts and banned the use of bump stocks in the wake of the mass shooting.

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Columbia’s City Council approved the new ordinance Tuesday, banning both bump stocks and trigger cranks — small cranks that fit over the trigger and which can fire a weapon multiple times with one revolution. The ban means people can still own them, but it will be illegal to use them. At the time of the attack, the National Rifle Association, which notoriously stands against any effort to restrict firearms, released a statement saying it “believes that devices designed to allow semi-automatic rifles to function like fully-automatic rifles should be subject to additional regulations.”

A bipartisan House bill was achieving momentum in the days following the mass shooting, however the NRA said it believed regulation on bump stocks should come from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms—an organisation it once lobbied to eliminate—instead of Congress. Several top marketing, media and agency executives went public with a new call for gun safety laws in the wake of the attack. Bosses from large companies including Coca-Cola Co, Facebook and JPMorgan Chase signed a petition calling for universal background checks that keep criminals and terrorists from purchasing guns. The organisers had met behind closed doors in the months leading up to the attack but decided to go public immediately after the shooting. The group, who have labelled themselves the Gun Safety Alliance, are planning to roll out public awareness campaigns next year.

SYRIA CHEMICAL WEAPONS ATTACK

Abdul-Hamid Alyousef holds his twin babies who were killed during a chemical weapons attack, in Khan Sheikhoun in the northern province of Idlib, Syria.
Camera IconAbdul-Hamid Alyousef holds his twin babies who were killed during a chemical weapons attack, in Khan Sheikhoun in the northern province of Idlib, Syria. Credit: AP

In a sensational example of a photo having the power to change the way people think, US President Donald Trump launched a historic cruise missile attack on Syrian forces for the first time earlier this year. The US military attacked a Syrian airfield in response to President Bashar al-Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons in early April, marking the first time the US became a direct combatant against the Syrian regime. Trump, who for many years expressed how he was comfortable with Assad’s leadership, had a drastic change of heart after seeing gut-wrenching images of children who had been gassed to death following Assad’s chemical weapon attack on Syrian civilians.

More than 80 people, including 10 children, were killed in the attack on Khan Sheikhun, a region held by rebels who oppose Assad’s regime. The US acted immediately, launching 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles from guided-missile destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean.

Though Trump lacked congressional authorisation for the strike, prominent US politicians supported him following the risky move.

Trump called on the international community at the time of the strike to “join us in seeking to end the slaughter and bloodshed in Syria and also to end terrorism of all kinds and all types,” he said. “Even beautiful babies were cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack. No child of God should ever suffer such horror.” Up until October, Trump was calling on Assad to step down, but his Administration has been forced to accept that any transition of power would depend on a credible election by the United Nations. The next Syrian Presidential election is not until 2021.

Actor Alyssa Milano is credited with starting the viral hashtag #MeToo.
Camera IconActor Alyssa Milano is credited with starting the viral hashtag #MeToo. Credit: Getty Images

THE #METOO MOVEMENT

One of the images that changed the world this year was a tweet. Easily the biggest social movement of the year, #MeToo went viral in October in the wake of explosive sexual misconduct allegations against disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein. The phrase, long used in this sense by social activist Tarana Burke, was popularised by actor Alyssa Milano, who was credited as the first person to encourage women to tweet it and share their own experiences to shine a light on the widespread nature of misogynistic behaviour. During the first 24 hours the hashtag was used by more than 4.7 million people in 12 million posts. Twitter reported that 45 per cent of users in the US had a friend who posted using the term. A string of A-list celebrities also felt encouraged to tell their stories, namely Salma Hayek, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Lawrence. They all aided in making 2017 the year of the “silence breakers”, as depicted on the December cover of Time magazine for their Person of the Year issue

Liberal MP Warren Entsch lifts up Labor MP Linda Burney as they celebrate the passing of the Marriage Amendment Bill.
Camera IconLiberal MP Warren Entsch lifts up Labor MP Linda Burney as they celebrate the passing of the Marriage Amendment Bill. Credit: AAP

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

At precisely 5.58pm on December 7, a moment happened that will forever be cemented in Australia’s history. This picture shows a glorious celebration between Liberal MP Warren Entsch and Labor MP Linda Burney, after almost every member of the House of Representatives voted ‘Yes’ to changing the Marriage Act.

From this moment, the nation’s laws would not restrict same sex couples to have the right to marry. The first same-sex couple to legally say ‘I do’ happened in Australia just nine days later, with Lauren Price, 31, and Amy Laker, 29, tying the knot in Sydney’s southwest.

And it seems the ‘Yes’ vote in Australia may have had a domino effect one of the world’s most Christian nations. In the same year Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte rejected the idea of same-sex marriage, he has since done a sensational backflip. Addressing a gathering of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Davao city this week, Duterte said he wanted to amend same-sex marriage laws in the country. “I want same-sex marriage. The problem is, we’ll have to change the law. But we can change the law. I am for (same) sex marriage if that is the trend of modern times,” he said. “If that will add to your happiness, I am for it.”

GRENFELL TOWER FIRE

The horrifying image of Grenfell Tower going up in flames, killing 71 people in its fury. Photo: AFP
Camera IconThe horrifying image of Grenfell Tower going up in flames, killing 71 people in its fury. Photo: AFP Credit: AFP

The harrowing vision of Grenfell Tower burning was like reliving a nightmare for those who saw it. It looked like 9/11 all over again. Seventy-one people died and 70 were seriously injured when the 24-storey block was consumed in an inferno late on June 14.

In the days following the fire, people were dubbed ‘missing’, young children and families included, and most of them who were not found may never be identified due to the extent of the fire damage. After the tears, there was anger. Residents had expressed concerns about the safety of the building, including the cheap foam cladding, which was responsible for the fire spreading so quickly.

Since the atrocity, cladding on tower blocks has been ripped down across Britain because of fears it could contribute towards another deadly blaze.

A national report in Australia was immediately commissioned by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull following the tragedy, but the ongoing process has been described as difficult and messy. The complex audit will bring together state government investigations, which are each at different stages.

A final report on building safety standards in the UK is due in the first half of 2018.

FAKE NEWS

Former US President Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration at the top, versus President Donald Trump’s 2017 crowd in the picture below. Photo: AP
Camera IconFormer US President Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration at the top, versus President Donald Trump’s 2017 crowd in the picture below. Photo: AP Credit: AAP

US President Donald Trump’s intensifying war with the American press is an ongoing saga with new drama almost daily. But when did this turbulent and dangerous relationship start? After he assumed office in January, you might remember the images that were splashed across the internet of a relatively dismal crowd at his inauguration in comparison to Barack Obama’s mammoth audience at his swearing-in in 2009. The exact crowd figures for both occasions are not known for sure, but crowd counting experts analysing the photos of the National Mall in Washington DC for Obama’s inauguration estimated there was 1.8 million people. It is estimated Trump had 900,000 or fewer. However, Trump’s then White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, who has since resigned, made false statements at the time, saying it was the ‘largest audience ever to witness an inauguration’. Mr Trump, who has made some 1,300 false statements since taking office, has long complained of “fake news” hampering his administration ever since. He has banned certain media outlets from press conferences and labelled media ‘the enemy of the American people.’ Alarmingly, his vendetta to delegitimise press freedom has started to rub off on the public. A recent Politico/Morning Consult poll that found 46 per cent of Americans believe the media “fabricates stories” to damage him and his administration.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at their official engagement photo call.
Camera IconPrince Harry and Meghan Markle at their official engagement photo call. Credit: Getty Images, WireImage

It was the announcement the world had been waiting for: the globe’s most eligible bachelor finally became engaged to American actor Meghan Markle.

The pair looked every bit the happy couple when they posed for a media opportunity outside Kensington Palace late last month, and the impact was immediate.

Within hours, Britain’s souvenir firms went live selling limited-edition commemorative porcelain plates featuring pictures of the couple, as well as mugs, postcards, notepads, keyrings, bookmarks and cutlery. Staff at popular trinket shops which were stocking merchandise the next day reported they had sold out of stock within hours of opening.

The photo opportunity also sparked the spin-off ‘Meghan effect’, which the Duchess of Cambridge became renowned for with the ‘Kate effect’, as her clothes were flying off the shelves within minutes of pictures surfacing.

The Lable and Line coat she donned in her first official photo call, now called the Meghan coat, sold out within minutes with the website crashing due to the volume of traffic.

A week later, the Mackage coat the Suits star wore during her first official outing with Prince Harry sold out before staff at the Canadian fashion brand even got to work that day. On top of that, the now sold-out Strathberry bag she was holding was originally priced at $870, but can now be found on eBay for $3050.

Royal events are big business and it is expected next year’s May 19 nuptials will amount to approximately $A104 million in additional merchandise sales. It is estimated up to 300,000 tourists will travel to London for the wedding, with up to $261 million predicted to be spent on champagne, food and drink alone as people celebrate the Royal wedding.

JEFF HORN

Jeff Horn celebrates victory after winning the WBO Welterweight Title Fight between against Manny Pacquiao. Photo: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images.
Camera IconJeff Horn celebrates victory after winning the WBO Welterweight Title Fight between against Manny Pacquiao. Photo: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images. Credit: Getty Images

The Brisbane schoolteacher was practically a nobody when he stepped up to fight WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquaio in July, who even proclaimed “I don’t know who Jeff Horn is” before the fight was called. Now, the ‘Pacman’ will likely never forget the name Jeff Horn.

The amateur boxer defeated Pacquaio in a unanimous decision after 12 rounds at the fight at Suncorp Stadium. It was arguably the biggest sporting event of the year, and propelled the unknown Aussie athlete onto the global stage.

Australian media reported a dramatic spike in boxing lesson inquiries from young boys and girls who became inspired by the tremendous guts and glory story.

It also provided a massive boost for the Queensland economy, with the boxing star on par with the Whitsunday Islands as a tourism magnet. The sunshine state’s economy received a $10 million plus injection from this month’s Horn vs. Gary Corcoran fight, while a further $25 million has been injected since he defeated Pacquaio.

MANCHESTER BOMBING

A young woman being rescued from Manchester Arena after a terrorist set off a bomb at an Ariana Grande concert in May. Photo: Joel Goodman/LNP
Camera IconA young woman being rescued from Manchester Arena after a terrorist set off a bomb at an Ariana Grande concert in May. Photo: Joel Goodman/LNP Credit: Supplied

A young woman, bruised and bloodied, is lucky to escape with her life after being in the impact zone of a terrorist who set off a shrapnel bomb. But the 22 who died in its wake weren’t so lucky.

The images of horror from the attack broke the hearts of people across the world, particularly because it was a targeted plot to kill young, innocent girls who were the demographic of pop princess Ariana Grande, who had just finished her concert at Manchester Arena. The youngest to die was an eight-year-old girl at the concert on May 22.

Five hundred people were injured in the attack, 117 of them seriously.

Two weeks after the atrocity, music’s biggest names would turn what was harrowing imagery into a hopeful display of love and triumph. What came from such a tragedy was a heartwarming benefit concert in Manchester on June 4, which was organised by Grande.

A-list guests included Robbie Williams, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, The Black Eyed Peas, Katy Perry, Coldplay and Liam Gallagher, among others, who all performed for free.

The show raised more than $13 million in donations which went to those affected by the tragedy.

WESTMINSTER ATTACK

A Muslim woman seen at Westminster attack was accused of being insensitive – but not was all as it seemed.
Camera IconA Muslim woman seen at Westminster attack was accused of being insensitive – but not was all as it seemed. Credit: Getty Images, Jamie Lorriman

A picture of a Muslim woman on the phone walking past injured people after the Westminster terror attack went viral in March.

The image was shared thousands of times with people claiming it showed that Muslims lacked empathy.

The woman, who didn’t want to be named, came forward to say she was “shocked and upset” by the portrayal of her race, and that she was on the phone letting her loved ones know she was OK.

“To those individuals who have interpreted and commented on what my thoughts were in that horrific and distressful moment, I would like to say not only have I been devastated by witnessing the aftermath of a shocking and numbing terror attack,” she told The Guardian. “I’ve also had to deal with the shock of finding my picture plastered all over social media by those who could not look beyond my attire, who draw conclusions based on hate and xenophobia.”

While the image inflamed racial tensions in the UK, it impacted again when it was revealed that the Twitter account that initally shared the photo was actually a fake account set up by a Russian “troll factory” - raising awareness about the ways in which social media has been used to stoke discord in the western world.

Originally published as Images that changed the world