Mahsa Amini death: British protest calls for global support against Iranian ‘dress code’ crackdown
Thousands of demonstrators gathered in London to protest against the Iranian government’s crackdown on women and girls who do not adhere to the country’s strict dress code.
Marching from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square, they held placards condemning the Iranian government and chanted slogans denouncing Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Sisters Arzoo and Nina told Sky News they were protesting to give people in Iran a voice.
“We want to see the regime gone. We want freedom for Iran,” said Arzoo.
Asked whether they believed change was possible, she replied: “Yes, we do. If people want to make a difference, this is the only time and the last chance that we have.
“A lot of celebrities and MPs are talking about it, so these protests are making a change.”
Protests have entered a fourth week after the death of 22 year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of Iran’s morality police.
Amini had been detained for alleged violations of the country’s strict dress code.
More than 150 people have been killed in widespread unrest in Iran since mid-September, according to Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights.
Read more:
Iran’s president says protesters should be ‘dealt with decisively’
Iran’s supreme leader says Mahsa’s death ‘deeply broke my heart’
Revolution
Another protester, Mahnaz, showed Sky News her palms painted red to symbolise blood.
“My hands are painted because there is blood on the streets. The Iranian regime is killing our children, they’re hitting their heads on the floor. The morality police are very dangerous,” she said.
“We don’t want this kind of regime in Iran. We are going to have revolution.”
Protester Parsa Sadigh told Sky News he hoped other governments would step in to impose tough sanctions on Iran.
“We need all the help we can get to change the regime which has been adversely affecting people for over 40 years, so that we can get to restore Iran to what it should be.”
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