How a viral photo brought together ska legends the Specials and a 20-year-old activist

In 2017, Saffiyah Khan, 20, stumbled onto a protest by far-right Islamophobic group the English Defence League taking place in her home city of Birmingham, England. A news photo of the moment, showing Khan looking unafraid, unfazed and even slightly amused as she stared down EDL leader Ian Crossland, quickly went viral, with Khan heralded by the media. Among the many people who took notice were the reunited members of seminal U.K. ska band the Specials.