Wall of human hair built in downtown Vancouver in solidarity with Iranian protesters
Hundreds gathered just outside the Vancouver Art Gallery on Saturday to show support for the ongoing anti-government movement in Iran.
People around the world have been protesting for nearly three months in hopes of overthrowing the country's current regime.
Dozens of those who attended Saturday snipped a lock of their hair and displayed it on a wall that spelled out one of the movement's slogans: "Women. Life. Freedom."
Tahmineh Sadeghi, one of the organizers of the weekly protests, participated in the initiative, which was set up by the YWCA Metro Vancouver.
“If this hair causes violence against women, I don't need this hair," she said, adding that the gesture is a symbol of rebelling against the Islamic Republic regime in Iran.
Janice Stevenson also took part in the initiative.
"It hurts me that there are people out there who can’t do as they please. It does bother me, because I’ve been so free my whole life," she said.
“We have the ability to cut our hair and really create a powerful symbol of support. We are showing up to say that ‘We hear you. We see you. We support you,'" said Amy Juschka of YWCA Metro Vancouver.
Sadeghi said the gesture made her and her community feel seen.
“I feel so encouraged. I feel like our voices are getting heard, finally, in Vancouver," she said, adding that she appreciates everyone who has attended the weekly protests, which have been going on for about 11 weeks.
“We’re going to keep going until women and people in Iran keep going. We want to be their voice because their internet has been shut down in Iran right now. They hardly can send the news out there. So we have to be their voice," said Sadeghi.
More than 300 people have been killed in the unrest, according to the country's government.
But human rights activists say the true number is much higher. They estimate more than 500 people have been killed and more than 18,000 have been detained, including journalists, activists and musicians.
It's unclear how long the fight will continue. Protesters said they refuse to back down and are willing to risk everything to see change in the country.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How more than 100 women realized they may have dated, been deceived by the same man
An Ontario man is being accused of changing his name, profession and life story multiple times to potentially more than 100 women online before leaving some out thousands of dollars.

Mother charged with sexual abuse of toddler in Edmonton area after FBI tip
A Strathcona County toddler has been rescued from suspected sexual exploitation, and the child's mother has been charged, police said.
LeBron James becomes NBA's all-time scoring leader, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
LeBron James is the NBA's new career scoring leader. With a stepback jump shot with 10.9 seconds left in the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night, James pushed his career total to 38,388 points on Tuesday night and broke the record that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar held for nearly four decades.
Biden in State of Union urges U.S. Congress: 'Finish the job'
U.S. President Joe Biden exhorted Congress Tuesday night to work with him to 'finish the job' of rebuilding the economy and uniting the nation as he delivered a State of the Union address aimed at reassuring a country beset by pessimism and fraught political divisions.
Fears grow for untold numbers buried by Turkiye earthquake as deaths pass 7,700
Rescuers raced against time early Wednesday to pull survivors from the rubble before they succumbed to cold weather two days after an earthquake tore through southern Turkiye and war-ravaged northern Syria. The death toll climbed above 7,700 and was expected to rise further.
Canadian military plane heads home after two surveillance flights over Haiti
A Canadian Armed Forces surveillance plane was heading home on Tuesday after two intelligence-collecting flights over Haiti.
On list of 50 'most Instagrammable' places, only 1 is in Canada
A new ranking by global travel site Big 7 Travel has revealed the most Instagrammable places for people to visit in 2023, but only one Canadian location, Banff, is among them.
Spy balloon part of a broader Chinese military surveillance operation, U.S. intel sources tell CNN
U.S. intelligence officials believe that the recently recovered Chinese spy balloon is part of an extensive surveillance program run by the Chinese military, according to multiple American officials familiar with the intelligence.
From $55 to $130: Which Canadians plan to spend the most this Valentine's Day?
As Valentine's Day approaches, many Canadians are preparing to celebrate by taking their loved ones to dinner and buying them gifts, but how much are we spending on this day coast to coast?