Protesters gathered on the Lions Gate Bridge last month in opposition to Iran’s government. Kelowna’s Persian community is holding a “human rights rally” Saturday afternoon in support of Iranian protests that have been ongoing since September. Protests in Iran drew international attention when Mahsa Amini died in police custody on September 16 after her arrest, allegedly because her headscarf was too loose. Protests in support of women’s rights and other issues have grown into one of the largest movements the country has seen in decades. Saturday’s grand motorcade will begin at UBC Okanagan’s Lot F parking lot at 2 p.m. and will continue along Highway 97 towards Westbank Town Centre, before returning to UBCO. “The rally is meant to spread the word and increase exposure to what the Iranian government is doing to its people,” said Collin Sawatzky, one of the organizers. “It should go ahead with minimal disruption to people going about their day. We’re not asking for money or help – just to spread the word and stand with the thousands of protesters who literally put their lives on the line to overthrow a brutal, theocratic dictatorship. The effort will also support Kelowna’s Ukrainian community, many of whom have recently fled their country following the Russian invasion earlier this year. Another organizer, Hamid Khajavi, said after Remembrance Day on Friday, “it’s an appropriate weekend to raise awareness of war and human rights violations worldwide.”
