Support for Iranians persists in Toronto as protests over Mahsa Amini's death enter 4th week

Protesters took to Toronto streets once again in solidarity with those in Iran, where nationwide protests over Mahsa Amini's death in morality police custody entered a fourth week on Saturday. 

Toronto police warned the public to expect delays and traffic disruptions as protestors marched to Harbour Front from the Queen's Park War Memorial.

Toronto is home to the second largest Iranian diaspora in the world. 

Dorni Sardari is a queer feminist and gender equality activist from Iran who sought asylum in Canada four years ago. She called the situation "upsetting" and "stressful," but says she is happy about the response it has sparked. 

"What is happening in Iran is a tragedy, it's so brutal, but at the same time, I think it was much needed because women, people in general, don't have their basic rights," Sardari told CBC Toronto.

"I think it's not a protest anymore, it's definitely a revolution and it's women, life, freedom, revolution."

Amini, an Iranian Kurd, was arrested in Tehran on Sept. 13 for wearing "inappropriate attire," and died three days later in hospital. Her death has ignited nationwide demonstrations, marking the biggest challenge to Iran's clerical leaders in years.

However, an Iranian state coroner's report denied that 22-year-old Amini died due to blows to the head and limbs while in morality police custody, and instead linked her death to pre-existing medical conditions, state media said on Friday.

Sophia Namvarazad, one of the organizers of Saturday's event, said it was held in support of women, men and children in Iran who are fighting in the streets for their basic human rights. 

"They are being beaten with all kinds of weapons, batons, being shot at. All the students that were held hostage in Sharif University and other universities, we're here to be their voice," she said. 

Namvarazad said what's happening in Iran today is nothing new to Iranians. 

"The reason why Mahsa Amini was kind of, as I would say, the last straw, was because you saw a woman who did nothing wrong, and I think that resonated with a lot of Iranians," she said.

Protesters have been venting their anger over the treatment of women and wider repression in Iran. Demonstrations rapidly escalated since Amini's death with calls for the overthrow of the clerical establishment that has ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

"This is what they're asking us to do while they're doing the difficult work for us — to do the easy work here and just spread their word," Namvarazad said.