Mahsa Amini Protests
The Iranian People’s fight against Religious Extremism
On September 16, 2022 the death of 22 year old Mahsa Amini in Tehran hit the public with violent protests, beginning the currently 4 week long rioting that has claimed over 100 lives.
The Iranian “Guidance Patrol” arrested Amini for wearing her hijab “improperly” in public, which violated Iran’s mandatory hijab law. Witnesses say Amini was severely beaten by officers which the Iranian government denies.
The protests began just hours after Amini’s death, beginning at the hospital where she died; the riots quickly spread to other parts of the country, starting with Amini’s hometown of Saqqez.
Following this, wide-spread internet blackouts and nationwide social media restrictions were issued by the government in an attempt to halt the growing protests.
Pro-government protesters rose to stop the anti-government sentiment, calling for the execution of Amini supporters, deeming them “Israel’s soldiers.” They were caught on record saying “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”
These slogans reflect Iranian ruler’s usual strategy to blame foreign countries for civil unrest. The first statement by the Iranian Regime’s leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei deemed the civil unrest as a foreign plot.
These protests are some of the largest Iran has ever seen, and they’ve been shaking the very foundation of Iran. Since the implementation of the Hijab rule in the 1979 Islamic revolution, there have only been a few protests against the rule, and this large scale campaign may shape the future of religious extremism in Iran.
