Tens of thousands demonstrate against the Islamic Republic in the German capital on Saturday. Many Iranian exiles are among them. Many have long since lost hope of a bloodless coup in their homeland. Still, determination is in the air.
Tens of thousands of people gathered in front of the Victory Column in Berlin to demonstrate in solidarity with women in Iran.
Mahsa Amini is omnipresent in Berlin this Saturday. Cars have foils with her face on them, and the 22-year-old Iranian with Kurdish roots is shown on T-shirts and posters. Her death in the custody of the vice squad moved the masses in Iran. As far as we know, she lost her life for not wearing her headscarf the way the regime wants it. Since then, protests have rocked the Islamic Republic. They are led by girls and women.
Tens of thousands of people flocked to the Victory Column in the afternoon to show their solidarity with women in Iran. The police estimate that 80,000 people gathered, which was significantly more than announced. The feminist collective “Woman* Life Freedom Kollektiv” had registered the demonstration.
Tears at the protest song
A German-Iranian woman in white trousers, sneakers and with curly black hair has a photo taken of herself in front of the Victory Column, one of the most famous sights in Berlin. “Woman Life Freedom” is written on her red tag. Her name is Yvonne, her mother witnessed the first Islamic revolution that led to the change of power in Iran in 1979. Because of the current protests in Iran, Yvonne’s mother throws up every evening, and the pictures from back then come up.
The young woman, who works in marketing, has family in Germany and Iran: “The first thing we do is take off the headscarf,” she says, referring to her relatives in Germany. She exudes fierce confidence. But when “baraye” is sung, which happens again and again that day, tears would come to her unexpectedly.
Iranian singer Shervin Hajipour’s song about freedom has become the movement’s unofficial protest song. Hajipour was imprisoned for the song about the longing and desire to dance in the street. He was released from custody after distancing himself from the song.
“These system-critical protests are led by teenage girls,” says the 34-year-old, which is special. Iran is a beautiful country with liberal people who are oppressed. “It’s going to get really bloody again,” she predicts when asked how the protests could end. Her cousin, who still lives in Iran, sends her regular messages. Most recently she wrote: “The scent of revolution is in the air.”
Regime change coming?
The majority of the participants are Iranian or half-Iranian, many women, only a few of them wear headscarves, but men are also protesting against the Iranian regime. Numerous buses drove to Berlin, in one of which sat Harash, a 32-year-old Iranian who found asylum in Germany nine years ago. He had to leave the Iranian state because he distributed flyers against the 2013 presidential election.
The slim art student wears glasses and a yellow wool hat. He comes from Karlsruhe. During the bus ride, one of the Iranians traveling with him learned that his 11-year-old cousin had been killed at school. The atmosphere on the bus after this message was unimaginable.
Buses on the way to #Berlin.Since the early hours of the morning there have been buses from all over Europe with Iranians towards the Victory Column in Berlin. There, at 3 p.m. today, the largest solidarity event for the people who oppose the regime in #Iran protest, take place pic.twitter.com/oyzqdkQkv5
— Natalie Amiri (@NatalieAmiri) October 22, 2022
“You don’t negotiate with child killers,” says Harash. He has been standing on a wall for hours, holding a large poster that reads: “End political negotiations with Iran”. He would like the government to close the Iranian embassy in Berlin and impose tougher sanctions on the powerful in the mullahs’ regime. That’s what many of the participants ask when you ask them.
Disappointed with Baerbock
What follows after the protests in Iran? “The government must be overthrown. This requires support from the West,” says Harash. Many share the desire for Western support, and some of the posters and placards address German politicians directly. “Don’t support the mullahs” reads in red letters on a black poster. Below is a picture of a woman cutting off her tormentor’s hand.
Among the many people is a mother-daughter team named Hoang and Faranak, striding down June 17th Street. Both have dark make-up eyes and are about the same size. Their signs read “Appeal to Germany: No dealings with the mullahs” and again “Woman Life Freedom”.
What do you think of German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock? Only “warm words” came from Baerbock, saying that people from the regime had to be held accountable and denied visas. The EU’s sanctions don’t hurt, says the daughter, a medical technology engineer. Will the regime fall? Faranak replies, “I hope so.”