As Iran is rocked by a wave of revolts surrounding the wearing of the veil, thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Montreal on Saturday in solidarity with Iranian women.
With their palms painted red, about 20 Iranian-Canadian women led the crowd, holding a banner that read "No to the Islamic Republic."
Chanting slogans in French, English and Persian, such as "Freedom and Democracy in Iran" and "Revolution," demonstrators marched from Place Émilie-Gamelin to Place du Canada.
Protestors also called on the Canadian government to put in place additional sanctions against Iran.
Similar protests have been held all over the world following the death of Mahsa Amini.
In mid-September, Amini, a young Iranian woman, died at the hands of Iranian morality police. The 22-year-old woman succumbed to her injuries after being arrested for improperly wearing her veil.
Shima Shirkhodaei, an immigration consultant, said she wants the international community to suspend any agreements with the Islamic Republic's leaders.
"We have done our best. We are citizens -- we only have one vote and one voice. But when we are together, we must ask the government to take action," she told The Canadian Press.
The federal government earlier this month imposed sanctions against 25 Iranian individuals and nine entities for their role in implementing repressive measures, violating human rights, and disseminating propaganda and disinformation. Ten days later, 17 people and 3 entities were added to the list.
-- This article by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 22, 2022
