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Crowd takes to Vancouver streets to protest Iranian regime

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An afternoon rally was held at the Vancouver Art Gallery Sunday following the death of a 22-year-old Iranian woman while in police custody.

Mahsa Amini died earlier this month in police custody, after being detained by the morality police for allegedly wearing her hijab incorrectly. Her family says she was beaten by police. Officials say she died of a heart attack.

Since her death on Sept. 16, protests and rallies have erupted in Iran and around the world.

“People are frustrated,” said Farad Soofi, an Iranian-Canadian who also attended the UN General Assembly in New York last week to protest the Iranian regime.

“They’re coming to say, 'We don’t want that regime.'”

Chants of "women, life, freedom" could be heard coming from the crowd.

“It has always been like this in Iran,” said Lena Kruk, who moved to Vancouver from Iran four years ago.

“It is an anti-women kind of regime.”

Clashes between Iranian protesters and security forces have turned deadly, and the government has restricted the population’s internet access to help prevent more demonstrations. https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/at-least-9-killed-as-iran-protests-spread-over-woman-s-death-1.6079121

Iranian-Canadian Amir Takbash says he’s been unable to speak with his family.

“It’s really hard. I haven’t heard from my mom for more than a week and it’s really, really hard for us here,” said Takbash.

“You just feel so bad,” said Kruk. “I feel like, you know, I couldn’t stop crying.”

“It’s heartbreaking to not be there with them, to not fight with them,” said Iranian-Canadian Parisa Moshfegh.

“So we’re going to do whatever we can from here.”

Despite living thousands of kilometres away, some in the crowd said they're still fearful of protesting against the current regime.

“Even in the protest in Vancouver, a lot of people are wearing masks because they are afraid of being recognized. This is how much we are scared of speaking out,” said Moshfegh.

The rally spilled out onto Georgia Street, with thousands of people chanting and holding signs while marching for several blocks.

Vancouver police tweeted that the public should avoid the area as officers work to keep traffic flowing.

Several people at Saturday’s protest told CTV News that more rallies are being planned for next weekend.  

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