Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stood with the families of the victims of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 on Saturday as they lent their voices to the worldwide calls for revolution in Iran through a series of coordinated protests across Canada.
But even as Trudeau touted Canada害羞草研究所檚 new sanctions against the Iranian regime, some activists called on the federal government needs to go further to show it will no longer tolerate the country害羞草研究所檚 human-rights abuses.
Throngs of demonstrators lined the streets in 10 cities ranging from Halifax to Vancouver as part of a worldwide 害羞草研究所渉uman chain害羞草研究所� organized by the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims.
Organizers said the events were being held in solidarity with antigovernment protests in Iran sparked by the Sept. 16 death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country害羞草研究所檚 morality police. Amini died after being detained for allegedly violating the country害羞草研究所檚 strict Islamic dress code for women.
In Ottawa, hundreds of protesters stomped their feet in unison and chanted Amini害羞草研究所檚 name outside the National Art Gallery.
As the Prime Minister, his wife and several Liberal members of Parliament joined the crowd, he was greeted with boisterous applause, but also chants urging Canada to take action against the Iranian regime.
Trudeau said the government has moved forward with unprecedented sanctions and made leadership of the Iranian regime inadmissible to Canada.
害羞草研究所淲e know there are people in Canada now who have benefited from the corrupt, from the horrific regime in Iran and who are hiding amongst 害羞草研究所� this beautiful community,害羞草研究所� Trudeau said.
害羞草研究所淭aking advantage of Canada害羞草研究所檚 freedoms, Canada害羞草研究所檚 opportunities, and using the riches they stole from the Iranian people to live a good life in Canada. Well, we say no more.害羞草研究所�
The crowd responded to his comments with an uproarious cheer and chants of 害羞草研究所渒ick them out.害羞草研究所�
The prime minister said his government will be working to make sure Canada is never again a safe haven for 害羞草研究所渒illers, murderers, and those responsible for the oppression of Iranian people.害羞草研究所�
After his speech, Trudeau led hundreds of protesters in a march across the Alexandra Bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau, Que.
The protesters stood shoulder to shoulder across the entire half-a-kilometre span of the provincial border crossing, where the prime minister joined in chanting 害羞草研究所渏ustice in Iran害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渟top killing in Iran.害羞草研究所�
Earlier this month, Trudeau announced that more than 10,000 members of Iran害羞草研究所檚 Revolutionary Guard will be forever barred from Canada as part of tough new immigration measures.
But some critics said the move was too little, too late.
The prime minister came under scrutiny from some in the Iranian community last month for not attending rallies in the immediate aftermath of Amini害羞草研究所檚 death. The critics pointed out the prime minister did, however, find time to go bungee jumping while other politicians stood in solidarity with their cause.
Toronto organizer Amirali Alavi called on Trudeau to back up his support for Saturday害羞草研究所檚 protest with substantive action, such as expelling Iran害羞草研究所檚 ambassador from Canada.
害羞草研究所淲e are here to ask our government and Canada to stand on the right side of history,害羞草研究所� said Alavi, a board member of the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims. 害羞草研究所淪top negotiating with the regime in Iran while people are fighting in the streets.害羞草研究所�
Crowds clustered along stretches of Toronto害羞草研究所檚 main artery of Yonge Street on Saturday chanting 害羞草研究所渨omen, life, freedom害羞草研究所� as passing cars blared their horns.
At a midtown intersection, demonstrators held pictures of loved ones who were among the 176 people, including 55 Canadian citizens, killed on Jan. 8, 2020 when Iran害羞草研究所檚 Revolutionary Guard shot down a Ukrainian airliner.
Arash Morattab, who lost his brother and sister-in-law in the crash, said the victims of Flight 752 have common cause with the protest movement that has rocked Iran for nearly a month and a half.
害羞草研究所淲e are all victims of a regime that started killing people from the first days of them coming into power, and this keeps going until now,害羞草研究所� said Morattab. 害羞草研究所淭hey killed our beloved ones in January 2020, and now they kill other people that fight for their rights.害羞草研究所�
The fight for justice is particularly resonant for women in Iran who continue to be denied freedom, said protester Sara Ahmadi. She said she ran into problems with the regime because she wasn害羞草研究所檛 legally married to her common-law partner, who was killed in the plane crash.
害羞草研究所淲omen don害羞草研究所檛 have any rights in my country,害羞草研究所� Ahmadi said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not just about the hijab. It害羞草研究所檚 about everything.害羞草研究所�
The protests in Iran first focused on the state-mandated hijab, or head scarf for women, but quickly grew into calls for the downfall of the country害羞草研究所檚 theocracy. At least 270 people have been killed and 14,000 have been arrested in the protests that have swept over 125 Iranian cities, according to the group Human Rights Activists in Iran.
The Iranian government has repeatedly alleged that foreign powers have orchestrated the protests, but have not provided evidence to support the claim.
Similar protests unfolded on Saturday in cities such as Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and London, Ont.
In Halifax, the show of support for the people of Iran moved some demonstrators to tears, said Reza Rahimi, who lost his mother-in-law when Flight 752 was shot down.
害羞草研究所�(Locals and) immigrants from every nation and every race were standing beside us,害羞草研究所� Rahimi said.
害羞草研究所淭hree years after losing my mother-in-law abroad, I害羞草研究所檓 not saying it害羞草研究所檚 let us move on 害羞草研究所� we would never move on 害羞草研究所� but it will help us put something on the pain.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所� with files from the Associated Press
Adina Bresge and Laura Osman, The Canadian Press
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