Protestors shouted, “Women, life, freedom!” and “Death to the dictator!” in honor of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini as they walked across the Golden Gate Bridge Sunday. On Sept. 13, Amini traveled to Tehran with her family when she was stopped by the morality police for wearing her hijab loose and was detained in custody. Three days later she fell into a coma and died.
The people in Iran believe that Amini was beaten by the morality police, while they claim she had a heart attack.
Sanaz Karimi, an attendee at the protest, stood in unity with other protestors at the entrance of the bridge.
“I feel really sad,” Karimi said. “I am here for awareness, most importantly, I think everybody should know what is happening in Iran and what Iranian women are doing.”
People of all ages wore signs with QR codes and held the former imperial state Iranian flag as passing cars honked in support.
Protestors waved Iranian lions and sun motif flags in the air amid outstretched signs and chants.
Sepehr Khosravi, an activist, researcher and student at Cal State East Bay, was among the attendees.
“For more than 40 years Iranian women have been subject to the most extreme, horrible treatment by the Islamic Public of Iran,” Khosravi said.
On April 1, 1979, former supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini declared Iran an Islamic Republic.
The recent death of Amini has renewed an uprising in support of women’s rights across the globe in Iran, Greece, England and France. Women are cutting off their hair in honor of Amini, others are burning their hijabs.
SF State alumnus and protester Mamsour Taeed graduated in 1984. He walked around with a drum in hand, leading people into a chant shouting “Iran” to the beat of the drum.
Taeed said the people waving the flags with the lion and sun motif are former imperial state flags, before the 1979 revolution.
“They do not represent us,” Taeed said about the current national emblem flags.
Protestors Niki K. and Azi M., who wished to remain anonymous for their safety, chanted “Say her name!”
They said they are tired of being quiet.
“They are killing our teenagers, they are killing our girls, there is no freedom for the women, whatever you want to do and girls need to get permission from their dad or their husband so we are standing,” Niki K. said.
The 77th U.N. General Assembly is happening in New York City from Sept. 13 to Sept. 27 and protesters are hoping world leaders will recognize the encroachment of women’s freedom in Iran.
“Today is different,” Khosravi said. “The men, the women of my country are fighting for a better day, the international community has joined Iran and we hope that more international communities join Iran, I am asking all the world leaders to join us.”
Protestors gather along the Golden Gate Bridge as an act of protest against Iran's morality laws on Sept. 25, 2022. “We’re protesting to help all the women in Iran, and all over the world, stand up for what they believe in,” said Jiran Sayadi, a protestor and facilitator at the protest. (Joshua Carter / Golden Gate Xpress)
