A photograph showing an African American woman surrounded by members of the white supremacist group 'Patriotic Front' (Frente Patriótica) has gained widespread traction online. When the image appeared in Paul Bowling's Instagram feed, he decided to look closely at the only visible face—his sister, Bernita Bowling.
Context of the Photo and Family Reaction
The picture was taken on the day of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States of America, July 4th. The young woman, who was 33 at the time, was sitting on a seat in a crowded subway car, looking calmly at the camera. Members of the 'Patriotic Front' movement stood and sat around her in the Washington subway, surrounding her.
According to Paul Bowling, 'it looks like she is surrounded by hunting dogs.' He shared this opinion in an interview with The Washington Post. On that day, the woman, who is a mother of two children, told a relative that she was going by train to Silver Spring. The family waited for hours for news because, according to Bernita Bowling's mother, the daughter had lost her mobile phone, and they had to wait for her call or any sign of life.
Concern and Past Issues
However, Paul Bowling admitted that he began to worry given that his sister had been battling mental illness for years. He even considered going out to search for her but did not know where to look. Although the image is actively circulating and being analyzed online as a symbol of the country's current state, reflecting remnants of the civil rights movement and racism of that era, some people revealed the woman's identity, which led to criticism due to a previous arrest. It is important to note that court records show the charge was later dropped. Therefore, Paul Bowling feared his sister might become a target and emphasized that past difficulties, including detention, occurred during a crisis in her mental health.
On Sunday morning, Bernita Bowling appeared at her mother's home, almost two days after she was seen in the subway car. The photograph was not mentioned. Paul Bowling and his sister were born and raised in Washington. Despite being one year apart in age, he defends her as if she were younger. The man noted that his sister is reserved and strong, which is evident in the photo. He said, 'I see in her an example to follow that conveys to people... 'Everything will be alright because God is with us'. '
Meanwhile, on Tuesday morning, the family discovered that they had received no news from the young woman since she left for church and shopping on Sunday.
Photographer's Work and Group Documentation
On Saturday morning, photographer Nathan Howard from the Reuters agency received social media reports that the 'Patriotic Front' was moving through the city. He decided to document the group's activities along with his freelance colleague Cheney Orr. Howard stated that knowing time was against them, he immediately started gathering information about the march and contacting sources who monitored extremist groups. He found a live stream following the group, social media posts from people who found them, and Reddit posts that helped identify landmarks and road signs, allowing him to roughly locate the group.
At that moment, the pair discovered hundreds of group members heading toward the Eastern Market subway station, taking positions at both ends of the car. Among a sea of dark blue shirts, khaki pants, and white masks, a woman in a green T-shirt stood out. Howard explained, 'While I was photographing the group members, I noticed the woman visible in this picture, sitting among them alone. I leaned over the seated members of the 'Patriotic Front', reached out my hand, and framed the shot using my camera screen.'
At the last stop, in New Carrollton, the group members exited the transport and headed to their cars. Orr reported that he did not see where the woman from the photograph went.
