In a show of global solidarity, Iranians staged protest rallies across cities in Europe and Australia on Sunday, as communities in the United States also planned their own gatherings in different cities.
These protests mark the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini's tragic death in police custody, which sparked the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprising in Iran.
Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman, died after receiving fatal injuries in the custody of Iran's so-called "morality police" on September 16, 2022. She had been arrested in Tehran for allegedly violating the country's mandatory hijab law. Her death, which came amid allegations of police brutality, ignited months of nationwide protests in Iran, led predominantly by women and young people demanding greater rights and freedoms. The protests rapidly spread across the country, calling for the end of mandatory hijab laws and the broader Islamic Republic system.
Sunday's protests serve as both a tribute to Amini and a continuation of the calls for justice that arose from her death. Demonstrators gathered in major European cities, including Berlin, Paris, Hamburg, and the Hague to name a few. They carried photos of Amini, raised banners that read “Woman, Life, Freedom,” and chanted slogans against Islamic Republic, condemning its repressive tactics and ongoing human rights abuses. Protests were also held in London and Sydney, Australia.
Protesters filled the streets, waving the lion and sun pre-Islamic Republic national flag and calling for governments to increase pressure on Tehran. Protestors also demanded from International leaders to list Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as a terrorist entity in Europe, United Kingdom and Australia.
Similar global rallies were held on Saturday ahead of Amini's anniversary.
Meanwhile in Iran, strikes were held across at least 11 cities in Western Azarbaijan and Kurdistan provinces.
Security forces banned Amini's family from leaving their home to visit her burial site on her anniversary, and threatened them with arrest.
There was heavy security in many cities in western Iran to prevent any street gatherings. The government arrested 22,000 people during the protests after Mini's death and executed several young men who had taken part in the street rallies in 2022.
