Love Hate Protest sign at G20 Summit Toronto Canada | Wall Art

Protest Photography Print with Message of Peace

Back in June 2010, during the G20 Summit in Toronto, I found myself caught in a whirlwind of raw, unfiltered humanity. My city—normally polite to a fault—was transformed overnight. Streets that once hummed with the rhythm of streetcars and cyclists now echoed with chants, marches, and a palpable tension in the air. In the middle of all that noise, I spotted a quiet moment that stopped me in my tracks.

A young woman sat cross-legged on the pavement, surrounded by the chaos, holding up a hand-painted sign that simply read: “Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that!” Her expression wasn’t angry or aggressive—it was tired, thoughtful, and defiant all at once. That’s what compelled me to raise the camera. This wasn’t a scene about politics. This was about humanity. Resolve. Grace under pressure.

It’s a simple image—no clever tricks, no dramatic lighting setups. Just light, shadow, grit, and a truth that hits harder than any placard ever could. In black and white, it becomes even more timeless. There’s something about stripping away colour that lets you focus on the emotion itself. Every strand of her hair, every crack in the pavement, every blurred protester in the background—it’s all there. Honest. Unedited. Unafraid.

Toronto was in turmoil that week. Storefronts were boarded up. Armoured police stood at attention on every corner. But in that moment, love still sat on the ground and held a sign. That’s why I made this image. That’s why I printed it. To remind myself—and anyone who hangs it on their wall—that love has a quiet strength. It doesn’t need to shout to be heard.

If you’re drawn to moments like this—unscripted, emotionally charged, and captured in the real world—have a look through my Protest Photography Collection, or explore more from my Street Photography Collection, where truth and tension often walk hand in hand.

© Dan Kosmayer, 2010