NYU’s Persian Cultural Society participated in the largest Iranian protest in New York on Saturday.
Protest in Times Square against the Islamic Republic of Iran on November 19. (Yezen Saadah for WSN)
The Persian Cultural Society at New York University joined more than 10,000 people who gathered in Times Square to protest against the Islamic Republic of Iran on Saturday, November 19. The protest followed the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in the custody of Iran’s moral police in September. Since then, a wave of protests has swept across the world.
Kiana Naderi, vice president of the Persian Cultural Society, said the protest was the largest Iranian demonstration so far in the city. Naderi worked alongside protest organizers and partnered with students at Columbia University, Rutgers University and other student groups to recruit volunteers for the demonstration. According to Naderi, people from all over the East Coast participated in the protest.
“All our demonstrations were aimed at liberating Iran and highlighting the revolution that is happening now, amplifying the voices of people fighting for basic human rights and freedom,” Naderi said. “This march should have continued to attract the attention of the United Nations because they, UNICEF and many other organizations have been silent about what is happening and we want to make sure they know that there are some terrible things happening in the country. Iran”.
Organized by Woman Life Freedom NYC, an activist organization advocating for women’s rights in Iran, the protest was a collaborative effort by Iranian communities in New York, including NYU’s Persian Cultural Society. Woman Life Freedom NYC also held a large demonstration in Washington Square Park November 5, attended by many members of the Persian Cultural Society.
At the demonstration, demonstrators chanted “Down with dictators,” “Human rights for Iran” and, most prominently, “Woman, life, freedom.” The protest began at Broadway and 42nd Street, passing through Bryant Park to the UN building.
“We mourn because this week is the 3rd anniversary of Bloody Aban, when the regime killed more than 1,500 protesters in November 2019,” said Roxane Solartash, a member of the Persian Cultural Society. “We are fighting for recognition and action from the UN and other world leaders to help the people of Iran. We need to keep putting pressure on the government so that changes finally happen.”
According to the Persian Cultural Society, one of the main goals of the protest was to gain international recognition for the demonstrations taking place across Iran against the Iranian government and to expose the death and imprisonment of hundreds of Iranian activists. Naderi emphasized the importance of community, saying that these protests will not only bring about change, but also strengthen relations between Iranian communities across the city.
“Through the protests, we’ve been able to create a really beautiful community of people who share similar stories and a genuine love for preserving their culture,” Naderi said. “I started a family with all these people I protest with every weekend. We believe that this will lead to change – we have never seen demonstrations like this in Iran. Everything is really reaching a tipping point and it is our responsibility to continue to amplify the voices in Iran.”
Contact Yezen Saadah at [email protected]
