World News
Winnipeg demonstrators rally against deadly crackdown on Iranian protesters
A group of demonstrators in Winnipeg gathered on the front steps of the Manitoba Legislature to draw attention to the deaths and detainments of Iranian people involved in mass demonstrations in Iran.Protesters gathered on the steps of the Manitoba Legislative Building on Saturday to draw attention to the ongoing situation in Iran. (Travis Golby/CBC)A group gathered on the…
A group of demonstrators in Winnipeg gathered on the front steps of the Manitoba Legislature to draw attention to the deaths and detainments of Iranian people involved in mass demonstrations in Iran.
A group gathered on the front steps of the Manitoba Legislature on Saturday to draw attention to the deaths and detainments of Iranian people involved in mass demonstrations in Iran.
“It's a very strange feeling that people are out in the street getting shot and we are here living a peaceful life,” said Shahriar Bagheri, a supporter of Iranian protests who is living in Winnipeg.
A spike in gasoline prices sparked a series of civil protests mid-November in Iran that have been met with a deadly crackdown by the country's security force. Bagheri said civil unrest has spread to dozens of cities across Iran since the gas price hike prompted angry protesters to turn off their vehicle engines and block the streets to show their dissatisfaction.
As of Friday, Amnesty International said the death toll has risen to more than 161 protesters killed and thousands more detained since demonstrations broke out on Nov. 15, according to an update on the global non-governmental organization's website. Iran has not released an estimated death toll.
Last Sunday, approximately 60 people gathered in Ottawa on Parliament Hill to speak out against the Iranian regime. On Saturday, dissenters in Winnipeg sought to put the international spotlight on Iran in attempt to make up for a lack of reporters on the ground in Iran and to counter the government's internet shutdown, which Bagheri said have caused an outage of reports.
“We gathered here [in Winnipeg] to make sure that those that are detained by the government at this point can basically get the legal protection that they are entitled to,” he said. “We thought if more people in the Western world know about the protest in Iran, then there's a higher possibility that those who are detained get a fair judgment.”
None of his family or friends in Iran have been arrested, but Bagheri said others at the Winnipeg protest have been impacted.
“It's kind of hard to talk about it because the pressure on the families of Iranians living abroad.”
Bagheri said some demonstrators in Winnipeg veiled their faces outside the legislative building to protect their identities.
“A lot of the people are wearing masks today because they are actually worried about their family and friends back home… as soon as the government realizes that anyone is involved in any sort of protest, they put the pressure back on their families [in Iran].”
Although online access has been restored in the majority of the country, limited internet and cellular network coverage since the protests began have suppressed communications.
Ultimately, Bagheri said he doesn't believe the government represents the Iranian people the way it should. According to a leaflet handed out at the Winnipeg gathering, protesters are rallying against Iranian interventionist activities in nearby sovereign states, systemic corruption within the regime, economic inequality and government policies that “do not benefit” the Iranian people.
“Most of the Iranians I've talked to are dissatisfied,” Bagheri said.
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