Across the globe, demonstrators have taken to the streets in unity to show international support for demonstrators facing a crackdown by Iran’s violent government. It stems from the death of her 22-year-old Masa Amini, who was detained by Iran’s moral police.
Amini was arrested in Tehran on September 13 for “improperly dressed” and died three days later in a hospital, sparking a wave of protests that killed more than 200 people, including a teenage girl.
Thousands of women and men of all ages chanted on the US National Mall wearing the green, white and red colors of the Iranian flag. “Fear. Fear. We’re in this,” several shouted before the group marched toward the White House. “Say her name! Masa!”
Organized by grassroots organizers across the United States, the demonstration drew Iranians from around Washington, DC, and even joined the crowd from Toronto.
In Los Angeles, home to the largest Iranian population outside Iran, large numbers of protesters formed a slow procession along a block of downtown streets that were closed. They cried for the fall of the Iranian government and waved hundreds of Iranian flags that turned the horizon into rolling waves of red, white and green.
“We want freedom,” they thundered in unison.
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Born in the United States after her parents fled the Iranian Revolution, Shouka Sharm, a lawyer, wore a T-shirt with the slogan “Women, Life, Freedom” in English and Persian.
In Iran, “women are like second-class citizens and they’re sick of it,” Shaam said.
She said women could be arrested for wearing the wrong make-up color, historically significant women were left out of the book and had little rights in matters such as divorce and child custody. Women “face incredible potential for their basic human rights.”
The Biden administration has condemned the atrocities and oppression of Iranian civilians and said it would seek ways to impose further sanctions against the Iranian government if the violence continues.
At the United Nations General Assembly last month, President Biden alluded to his protests over Amini’s death and said the United States stands by “the brave women of Iran who are now demonstrating to secure their fundamental rights.”
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Biden said in a press release on Oct. 3 that the United States was working to make the internet more accessible for Iranians “including facilitating access to secure external platforms and services.” .
In Tehran, more anti-government protests were held at several universities on Saturday.Iran’s nationwide movement was the first to make the country’s mandatory hijab covering women after Amini’s death on Sept. 16. Iran’s protests have turned into the biggest challenge to the Islamic Republic since the 2009 Green Movement over contested elections.
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Nearly 40,000 people gathered in Berlin to show solidarity with the women and activists who have led the movement in Iran over the past few weeks. Organized by her Freedom Collective, the protests in the German capital began at the Victory Column in Berlin’s Tiergarten Park and continued in a march through central Berlin.
Some demonstrators there said they came from Germany and other European countries to show their support.
Shakib Lolo, from Iran and living in the Netherlands, said: “It is very important that we are here to speak for the Iranian people who are being killed in the streets. No, this is Iran’s revolution, and the world must see it.”
Thousands of people gathered in Paris to show their support for the Iranian people.
In October, Iranians, French feminist groups and politicians attended a rally at the Republique Plaza before marching east of Paris.
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“Woman, life, freedom!” cried the crowd. Some banners read ‘Free Iranian Women’, ‘No Mandatory Hijab’ and ‘#Mahsa Amini’.
The Associated Press contributed to this post.