Hundreds rally at legislature in solidarity with Iran protesters

More than 200 Iranian-Manitobans rallied on the legislative grounds Sunday in solidarity with widespread protests in Iran that are challenging its theocratic government.

Demonstrations began late in December, initially over the collapse of the Iranian currency. They have intensified and grown, roiling the country as the government began a crackdown, detaining more than 10,600 protesters and killing at least 538 people, including 48 members of the country’s security forces, The Associated Press reported Sunday.

Iran’s government has cut phone lines and internet access as the crackdown on protests continues, leaving local Iranian-Canadians such as Bahar Jafari Jozani, 19, who helped organize the Sunday rally, with little ability to contact their extended families.

“The people are being killed, hurt… there’s a total blackout,” Jozani said.

“The least we can do over here, it’s our responsibility to bring awareness… our goal is to maintain pressure as well as… (get) help from governments to put pressure on the Iranian government… to free its people, because what they’re doing is really unjust and really hurtful.”

Jozani said she and her family have been unable to contact their loved ones for four days. She was born in Canada to parents who immigrated from Iran.

“We’re scared. You have no news. You don’t know how they’re doing,” she said. “They’ve also cut down the electricity… they don’t have… phone connection, no internet, no light… it’s scary for everyone.”

Jozani said the last time her family was in contact with their loved ones still in Iran, extended family described the “huge masses of protests” happening in the streets.

“There are millions of people right now that are out on the streets. It’s really nice to see… but it’s worrisome, because when the government does this whole shutdown… historically we have seen, they start attacking the people… live fire on everyone. They start taking people (to) prisons, executions, because there’s no eye on them.”

Many in the crowd of demonstrators in Winnipeg called for Iran’s government to be toppled and for a free and fair referendum to be called to determine the nature of a new government. Many others held placards and photographs of the crown prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi. He is the eldest son of the last shah of Iran, who was overthrown in the Iranian Revolution in 1979.

Pahlavi is a central figure of opposition to the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He is living in exile in the United States.

Some of the Winnipeg demonstrators said they would support American intervention if the repression of protesters continues, which U.S. President Donald Trump has signalled as a possibility.

Liberal Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, Terry Duguid, attended the protest.

“We want — Canadians want — freedom and justice for the people of Iran,” he said.

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“What is dispiriting is the violence and the brutality that the Iranian government is visiting on their people.”

Duguid said he represents a large Iranian-Canadian community in his riding.

“It is a hard-working, wonderful community that has contributed so much to our Canadian society, and we stand with them today, and we stand for democracy, and we stand for justice,” he said.

Duguid said the federal government is calling for the Iranian government to stop the violence against its own people.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

Erik Pindera
Reporter

Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020.  Read more about Erik.

Every piece of reporting Erik produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.