Thousands of people have demonstrated in France to support the protests taking place in Iran, with at least 2,500 people descending on Place de la République in Paris yesterday (October 29).
A Paris la Manif en solidarité avec la révolution #زن_زندگي_آزادي (Femme, Vie, Liberté) le Sam. De 22 oct à l’appel des syndicats et des associations #مهسا_امینی#MahsaAmini#Mahsa_Amini #IranProtests2022 #IranProtests #OpIran#Evin pic.twitter.com/H1QztuVpNm
— Ossareh (@nossareh) October 22, 2022
Marches also took place in Toulouse (around 150 people), and Lyon (250).
It comes after protests in Iran, following the death of Mahsa Amini, who died on September 16 while in custody, three days after her arrest in Teheran by the religious morality police.
She was arrested in Tehran for wearing her hijab too loosely. Protesters have said she was then beaten by police, but police claim that she collapsed from a heart attack, and that no beatings occurred.
Protesters in Paris carried Iranian flags and banners reading: ‘Femmes, vie, liberté (Women, life, freedom)’, reported AFP journalists present at the march in the capital. Protesters danced and flew flags, and held up photos of Mahsa Amini.
PARIS. Manif féministe pour ls femmes d'Iran, 24 septembre
— Kurdistan au féminin (@KurdistanAu) September 25, 2022
Danse avec "Keçê Kurdan" (filles kurdes)#JinJiyanAzadi #EndIranRegime #IranProtests #LetUsTalk #Jîna_Emînî #Jina_emini #WhiteWednesdays #TwitterKurds #مهسا_امینی #Rojhilat #Mahsa_Amini #OpIran #IjnaMahsaAmini pic.twitter.com/PQfp8RfsOc
In Toulouse, protesters formed a human chain, and also carried flags and banners.
In Lyon, protesters responded to calls from the Collectif des anciens étudiants de Lyon (Collective of former Lyon students) and took part in a march that started in Place Bellacour.
They also held banners, including some reading ‘Solidarité pour la liberté (Support for freedom)’, ‘Nous sommes tous révoltés (We are all disgusted/revolted’), and ‘On veut pas de gouvernement anti-femme (We do not want an anti-woman government)’.
Some read simply the hashtags, #MahsaAmini or #Mahsa_Amini. One woman publicly cut off her hair in support, to mirror similar actions taken by Iranian women during protests in Iran.
LYON. Manif pour #MahsaAmini
— Kurdistan au féminin2 (@KurdeAuFeminin) September 24, 2022
Une jeune femme coupe ses cheveux en solidarité avec les femmes d'Iran#EndIranRegime #IranProtests #LetUsTalk #Jîna_Emînî #Jina_emini #WhiteWednesdays #TwitterKurds #مهسا_امینی #Rojhilat #Mahsa_Amini #OpIra https://t.co/x5uKakXKUC
PARIS. Manif pour #MahsaAmini#EndIranRegime #IranProtests #LetUsTalk #Jîna_Emînî #Jina_emini #WhiteWednesdays #TwitterKurds #مهسا_امینی #Rojhilat #Mahsa_Amini #OpIra https://t.co/u5YGKKEYzJ
— Kurdistan au féminin2 (@KurdeAuFeminin) September 24, 2022
There were also protests for the same cause in London, spearheaded by the Iranian-born women’s rights activist Maryam Namazie.
It comes after major protests (and controversial police crackdowns) have erupted in Iran following Ms Amini’s death.
Women have been taking off and burning their headscarves in protest, and publicly cutting their hair off in defiance of the morality police laws.
The movement has spread across the country, with Iranian authorities reportedly attempting to shut down the internet in response, and responding with violence to protests.
Iranian authorities claim that the protesters are opportunistic vandals.
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