During an anti-war demonstration in Washington, D.C., a protester calmly placed a carnation into the barrel of a soldier’s rifle as troops formed a line to contain the crowd. The simple gesture created a striking contrast between the softness of the flower and the threat of the weapon, illustrating the spirit of peaceful resistance that defined the protest. The soldier remained motionless as demonstrators continued chanting nearby, and the moment was captured in a photograph that became emblematic of non-violent dissent in the United States.