In support of the protests that have engulfed Iran for more than 40 days, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau marched alongside demonstrators in the Canadian capital of Ottawa on Saturday.
Standing in front of a white banner covered with numerous red hand prints, Trudeau declared, “The women in Iran, daughters and grandmothers and allies… they are not forgotten.”
An uprising that has gripped Iran for six weeks began when Mahsa Amini, 22, passed away in detention following her arrest for allegedly breaking one of the country’s severe dress codes for women.
“We will stand with you. I’ll march with you, I will hold hands with you. We will continue to stand with this beautiful community,” Trudeau said, before ending his speech by shouting Persian slogans, his fist raised.
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Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, the wife of the prime minister, attended the demonstration and said, “I stand with you because when one woman’s right is being denied, it is a sign of disrespect for all women. And we will leave no sister behind .”
The Canadian government has sanctioned senior Iranian officials multiple times over the past month as a result of the regime’s “gross and systematic human rights violations,” as underlined by Trudeau.
Supporters of Amini also showed out at rallies in other Canadian cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, where marchers organised themselves into human chains.
Thousands more demonstrated on Saturday in Paris and around France.
(with inputs from agencies)
