UPDATE 2
French police use tear gas on Iran protesters in Paris
PARIS, Sept 26 — French police on Sunday used tear gas and employed anti-riot tactics to prevent hundreds of people protesting in Paris from marching on Tehran’s embassy, AFP reporters and eyewitnesses said.
In London meanwhile, police made several arrests as officers clashed with protesters trying to break through barriers protecting Iran’s UK embassy.
The protesters in Paris had gathered for the second day running to express outrage at the death of Mahsa Amini following her arrest by Iran’s morality police last week — and to show solidarity with the protests that have erupted in Iran.
The demonstration had begun peacefully at Trocadero Square in the centre of the capital. Some demonstrators chanted “Death to the Islamic Republic” and slogans against supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
But police in full anti-riot armour, backed by a line of vans, blocked the path of the protesters as they sought to approach the Iranian embassy a short distance away.
Police fired tear gas to disperse the protesters.
In a statement, Paris police confirmed that tear gas had been used saying “on several occasions groups tried to break through the roadblock set up near the Iranian embassy. The police used... tear gas to repel them.”
They said some 4,000 people had gathered for the demonstration. One person was arrested for “outrage and rebellion” and one officer was slightly hurt, said police.
Breach police lines
The use of tear gas angered activists already upset by President Emmanuel Macron’s talks and public handshake with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last week.
“Police used tear gas to disperse Iranian protesters in Paris in an effort to protect the Islamic Republic embassy,” tweeted the US-based Iranian women’s rights activist Masih Alinejad.
“Meanwhile, @EmmanuelMacron shook hands with the murderous president of Iran.”
Protesters also repeated the viral Persian chants used by protesters inside Iran such as “zan, zendegi, azadi!” (woman, life, freedom!) and also its Kurdish equivalent “jin, jiyan, azadi!” Amini, also known as Jhina Amini, was Kurdish.
“In view of what is happening, we Iranians are fully mobilised,” said Nina, a Paris-based French Iranian who asked that her last name was not given. “We must react given that we are far from our homeland, our country.
“It’s really time we all come together so we can really speak up so the whole world can really hear our voice,” she added.
Similarly tense scenes took place in London, where images posted on social media showed protesters seeking to break through police security barriers outside the Iranian embassy there.
London police said a large number of protesters had gathered outside the embassy, “with a substantial group intent on causing disorder.”
“Further police resources were brought in to support those on the ground after protesters attempted to breach police lines and had thrown missiles at officers,” the police said in a statement.
Police made five arrests and several officers received minor injuries, the statement added. — AFP
Unrest erupts near Iranian embassy in
London over Mahsa Amini's death
Violent street protests erupted outside the Iranian embassy in London on Sunday, with rocks thrown at police and five protesters arrested.
Associated Press, London , September 26, 2022
Demonstrators hold placards outside the Iranian Embassy in London. (Photo: AP)
Violent street protests erupted outside the Iranian embassy in London on Sunday, with rocks thrown at police and five protesters arrested.
Large crowds have been gathering all week outside the Knightsbridge compound in protest against the death in Iranian police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in Iran. She had been arrested by Iran’s morality police for allegedly breaking headscarf rules and died on Sept. 16.
London’s Metropolitan Police said that “a substantial group” of the large crowd were “intent on causing disorder” and confirmed that reinforcements had been called in when protesters tried to break police lines and storm towards the embassy compound.
A number of police officers were injured in the skirmishes though none seriously, and some arrests were made for violent disorder.
The London street protest comes at a time of growing hostility between Britain and Iran over the death in custody of Amini. The Iranian police said she died of a heart attack and was not mistreated, but her family has cast doubt on that account.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry’s website said it summoned Simon Shercliff, the U.K.’s ambassador to Iran, on Saturday and protested the hosting of critical Farsi-language media outlets. The ministry alleges the news outlets have provoked disturbances and the spread of riots in Iran at the top of their programs. Protests over Amini’s death have spread across at least 46 cities, towns and villages in Iran.
Iran said it considers the news agencies’ reporting to be interference in Iran’s internal affairs and acts against its sovereignty.
The beefed-up police operation in the vicinity of the Iranian Embassy in London’s Princes Gate will remain in place.
Police clash with Iran protesters in London
and Paris
Sun, September 25, 2022
Police clashed with demonstrators trying to reach Iran's embassies in London and Paris on Sunday.
French police used tear gas and employed anti-riot tactics to prevent hundreds of people protesting in the capital from marching on Tehran's diplomatic mission, AFP reporters and eyewitnesses said.
In London, police said they made 12 arrests and five officers were "seriously injured" as demonstrators tried to break through barriers protecting Iran's UK embassy.
The protesters in Paris had gathered for the second day running to express outrage at the death of Mahsa Amini following her arrest by Iran's morality police -- and to show solidarity with the protests that have erupted in Iran, at a cost of at least 41 lives.
Similar rallies in support of Iranian women have occurred around the world.
The demonstration had began peacefully at Trocadero Square in the centre of the French capital. Some protesters chanted "Death to the Islamic Republic" and slogans against supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
But police in full anti-riot armour, backed by a line of vans, blocked the path of the protesters as they sought to approach the Iranian embassy a short distance away.
Police fired tear gas to disperse the protesters.
In a statement, Paris police said that "on several occasions groups tried to break through the roadblock set up near the Iranian embassy. The police used... tear gas to repel them."
They said about 4,000 people had gathered for the demonstration. One person was arrested for "outrage and rebellion" and one officer was slightly hurt, said police.
- Breach police lines -
The use of tear gas angered activists already upset by President Emmanuel Macron's talks and public handshake with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last week.
"Police used tear gas to disperse Iranian protesters in Paris in an effort to protect the Islamic Republic embassy," tweeted the US-based Iranian women's rights activist Masih Alinejad.
"Meanwhile, @EmmanuelMacron shook hands with the murderous president of Iran."
Protesters also repeated the viral Persian chants used by protesters inside Iran such as "zan, zendegi, azadi!" (woman, life, freedom!) and also its Kurdish equivalent "jin, jiyan, azadi!" Amini, also known as Jhina Amini, was Kurdish.
"In view of what is happening, we Iranians are fully mobilised," said Nina, a Paris-based French Iranian who asked that her last name was not given. "We must react given that we are far from our homeland, our country.
"It's really time we all come together so we can really speak up so the whole world can really hear our voice," she added.
Similarly tense scenes took place in London, where images posted on social media showed protesters seeking to break through police security barriers outside the Iranian embassy there.
London's Metropolitan Police said "masonry, bottles and other projectiles were thrown and a number of officers were injured. At least five are in hospital with injuries including broken bones."
Earlier, police said a large number of protesters had gathered outside the embassy "with a substantial group intent on causing disorder."
sjw/jj/lcm/it
wionnewsweb@gmail.com (Wion Web Team) -
Protesters clashed with police in London and Paris when they attempted to enter Iran's embassies on Sunday.
Watch | Police clash with protesters in central London and Paris,
As per AFP witnesses, French police deployed tear gas and anti-riot techniques to stop hundreds of protesters from moving toward Tehran's diplomatic mission while protesting in the capital.
In London, police reported that till now 12 arrests have been made, along with five police officers "severely injured" as protesters attempted to storm through barricades surrounding the embassy. Several offenders were injured as masonry, bottles, and other objects were thrown. At least five people were severely injured.
Also read | Iran: Iranians continue to protest for the 10th consecutive night, violating judiciary's warning
For the second consecutive day in Paris, hundreds gathered to voice their outrage over the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran and to show their support for the unrest that began in the country. As per Iran's official toll, 41 lives have been claimed within 10 days of the protest.
The protest at Trocadero Square started calmly. The protesters tried to approach the nearby Iranian embassy but were blocked by the police using tear gas. The French police, in a statement, said, "on several occasions groups tried to break through the roadblock set up near the Iranian embassy. The police used... tear gas to repel them," AFP reported.
Also read | Iran expresses displeasure over US support for Mahsa Amini stir, calls protesters 'rioters'
Death to the Islamic Republic and other anti-supreme leaders Ayatollah Ali Khamenei chants were screamed by the protesters. Almost 4,000 people showed up for the protest.
Agitated protesters were already unhappy because French President Emmanuel Macron shook hands with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi last week outside the UN General Assembly.
Similar protests have been taking place in several parts of the world, showing their support for Iranian women.
(With inputs from agencies)
Iranian Americans demonstrate in Atlanta
Sep 25, 2022
Associated Press
Iranian Americans in Atlanta demonstrated on Sunday in support of protesters in Iran. (Sept. 25)
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