Alberta protesters stand in solidarity with Iranians outraged over woman's death in police custody
A pair of rallies in Alberta's largest cities on Saturday echoed chants worldwide over the death of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian woman detained allegedly for wearing her hijab improperly.
Thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets for the past two weeks protesting Amini's death, venting anger over the treatment of women in that country.
Javad Soleimani, an organizer for the solidarity rally in Edmonton, said it is important for those outside the Middle Eastern country to show support.
"Over the past 44 years, the Iranian people have endured numerous suffering and they have now made their choice," he said. "Enough is enough."
"As long as we have a government like the Iranian regime, the world is not a safe place for us," he added.
Protests have erupted worldwide, showing solidarity with the growing uprising in Iran demanding more freedom and recognition of human rights.
- Thousands of people protest in freedom rally for Iran near Toronto today
- Iranians are risking it all to protest. Their families say some of them aren't coming home
Nastaran Bazzazi, an organizer for the Calgary rally, said she and others have cut their hair in solidarity.
"The government in Iran, which is based on injustice, discrimination against women, LGTBQ, ethnic minorities, and other religion believers," Bazzazi said. "We are burning for the injustice in Iran."
"People in Iran are now bravely protesting," Soleimani said. "The Iranian regime is brutally suppressing them, but the Iranian people are not going to give up, and this is very important for us outside of Iran to increase their voice and awareness of what is going on."
With files from The Associated Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.