Defiant biker teen gunned down in Iran protests

Diana Bahador, a 19-year-old from Gonbad-e Kavus in northern Iran, was shot dead by security forces in Gorgan on January 8 during crackdown on anti-government protests.

Known online as Baby Rider, the young Turkmen woman built over 100,000 Instagram followers with fearless rides on powerful motorbikes—without a headscarf—in a country that bans women from getting motorcycle licenses and forbids removing the hijab.

Friends say she was more than an influencer: her speed, style, and visibility were quiet acts of resistance against strict rules.