‘Please stand with us’: Calgarians support Iranian women’s rights
Posted Sep 25, 2022 8:40 pm.
Last Updated Sep 25, 2022 8:41 pm.
Hundreds of Calgarians protested in a rally in Tompkins Park to support Iranian women’s rights on Sunday.
“You can’t tell us what to do, we can make our own decisions, ” a woman said in the protest.
This comes after the detention and death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in custody after being detained by Iran’s morality police, making Iranian woman furious and triggering protests.
Bahara, a protestor and political activist in the rally, came to Canada as a political refugee and has a passionate plea for Calgarians.
“Please stand with us … One of the cities in Iran is free and people are controlling the city, and we are very hopeful this time because all of the people stand up this time,” she said.
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Meanwhile, the Calgary rally coincides with other protests across Canada and around the world.
Amini had been detained Sept. 13 for allegedly wearing her hijab too loosely in violation of rules demanding women wear headscarves in public. Then, she died three days later while in custody; authorities said she had a heart attack but hadn’t been harmed. Her family has disputed that, leading to the public outcry.
Protests started after her Sept. 17 funeral, and have taken place in more than a dozen cities. The Iranian government has pushed back, clashing with demonstrators and clamping down on internet access.
— With files from The Associated Press and Emma Kilburn-Smith.
