On Sept. 16, 2022, 22 year-old Mahsa Amini died in Tehran, Iran. Prior to her death, she was in the custody of the Iranian morality police because she was found wearing her hijab improperly. After her death, the morality police stated that, while she was in their custody, Amini suffered a heart attack which led to her falling into a coma. However, those claims have been disputed by eyewitnesses. They claimed that Amini was beaten by officers and her death was a direct result of police brutality. Although the moments leading up to her death are still unknown, the people of Iran see Amini’s death as an execution and have not let their voices go unheard.
On Sept. 16, 2022, the same day Amini died, hundreds of people took to the streets to rally behind Amini and protest the strict rules that women must abide by in Iran, like wearing a hijab. The Iranian people have also used these protests to fight against other pressing issues, including more freedom for their citizens and a change in the Islamic regime Iran is under.
The protests started with a few hundred people, but as time progressed, numbers began to grow to the thousands. Now, over 50 cities in Iran have become active participants in this fight against injustice.
“Our people are not stepping down,” an Iranian woman said when speaking to CNBC in late September, and her words ring true. On Oct. 10, 2022, 25 days after Amini’s death, the protesters are not slowing down. They have been on the streets everyday chanting “Death to the dictator! We are all Mahsa, let’s fight!” and “Women, life, freedom!” among a plethora of other cries to fight against the Iranian morality police and other authorities.
Throughout this fight, protesters have been met with extreme forms of violence enacted by Iranian authorities. While the protests started off peacefully, things soon changed when Iranian police began to fire into the horde of protesters and forcefully arrest people. Many of those arrested were young women who, to protest against the morality police, were burning their hijabs, cutting their hair, or wearing their hijabs incorrectly.
Iranian protesters who were victims of this brutality decided to take to social media to share their experiences with the world. The protesters began using platforms like TikTok and Twitter to share videos, photos, and personal accounts to anyone who would listen. They post videos of the police force’s tactics and aggression, while also highlighting the peaceful protests taking over the country. The Iranians’ use of social media resulted in Amini’s death and the protests becoming worldwide news that caught the eyes of non-Iranian people and government officials.
President Joe Biden released a statement on the current state of Iran stating that, “[he] remain[s] gravely concerned about reports of the intensifying violent crackdown on peaceful protesters in Iran.” Officials outside of the U.S. have also spoken out against the Iranian regime and police force, including the German Foreign Minister, Swedish Foreign Minister, and the president of Chile.
As of Oct. 10, 2022, protests in Iran are still going strong, and many people have lost their lives in the process. Iran Human Rights, a Norwegian non-profit, reported at least 185 deaths, including 19 children, as of Oct. 8th. The protests have left Iran’s future in question. The people of Iran have no plan to stop their efforts until a change is made and the Iranian authorities have stood in their beliefs. Iran’s future is uncertain, but the revolution has just begun.
