Protests Against Iranian Islamic Republic Held in London

Following the death of Masha Amini, twelve people have been arrested at London protests calling for an end to the Islamic Republic in Iran.

Several hundred people gathered in London on Saturday, September 24,) in a protest prompted by the death of Masha Amini. Other protests took place simultaneously across the globe, including in Iran and Paris. Chants of “Death to the Islamic Republic” could be heard in Trafalgar Square and outside the Iranian Embassy, with protesters waving Iran’s former national flag from before the 1979 revolutions by religious extremists. The police arrested twelve people at the demonstration on suspicion of violent disorder offences.

Masha Amini was a 22-year-old Kurdish woman from the city of Saqez who was arrested by morality police during a visit to Tehran, the capital of Iran. The police accused her of breaking the laws stipulating that women must cover their hair, arms, and legs, and took her to a detention center where she collapsed and died after three days in a coma. Eyewitnesses say Ms. Amini had her head banged against a vehicle and beaten with a baton, but the police deny this claim saying she collapsed due to a “sudden heart failure.” Ms. Amini’s family rejected this defense, stating that she was too healthy and fit to suddenly collapse in this way.

Her passing sparked outrage in Iran, where protests against the Islamic Republic immediately took place. Women have been cutting their hair and setting fire to their headscarves in an act of defiance against the violence they face, chanting “Women, Life, Freedom.” It has been reported that nine further deaths took place at these protests, including a 16-year-old boy, after security forces arrived and opened fire on the protestors.

Social media shows the protests occurring in Iran, with viral tweets supporting the women defying the republic. Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad posted a video of dozens of people gathered at a protest, with the caption “Women of Iran-Saghez removed their headscarves in protest against the murder of Mahsa Amini 22 Yr old woman by hijab police and chanting: death to dictator! Removing hijab is a punishable crime in Iran. We call on women and men around the world to show solidarity."

CNN reports Frida Ghitis uploaded another video showing women burning their headscarves, commenting: “The scenes in Iran are astonishing. How far will these protests go?”

Social media also shows the protests taking place in London and Paris, where teargas was used to deter protesters in France. Journalist Andy Ngô shared a video of the scenes at Paris, with police physically restraining people, with the caption: “Paris: Police in riot gear are mobilized in response to anti-Islamic regime protesters who have gathered outside the Iranian Embassy in solidarity with the #MashaAmini protests in Iran."

US President Jo Biden commented on the protests, declaring that the United States of America stood in solidarity with "the brave women of Iran who right now are demonstrating to secure their basic rights."

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