In a bold act of defiance, a protester scaled the balcony of the Iranian embassy in London on Saturday, tearing down the nation's official flag and replacing it with a historic symbol of opposition to the current regime.
London Embassy Becomes Focal Point for Defiance
The dramatic incident in Kensington saw a male demonstrator climb onto the embassy's facade to cheers from a gathered crowd. He removed the flag of the Islamic Republic, replacing it with the former 'lion and sun' flag used by Iran prior to the 1979 revolution.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed they deployed additional officers to the scene to prevent disorder. Video footage showed what appeared to be red paint splattered on the embassy's white walls. The protest was one of many held across the UK and Europe in solidarity with demonstrators inside Iran.
Widespread Unrest and a Brutal Regime Response
The global rallies support a protest movement inside Iran that has now entered its third week. Initially sparked by anger over the spiralling cost of living, the demonstrations have rapidly evolved into calls for an end to the clerical system led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
According to the Iranian rights group HRANA, at least 65 people have been killed in the crackdown as of January 9, including 50 protesters and 15 security personnel. The Norway-based Hengaw organisation reports more than 2,500 arrests in the past fortnight.
Protests have spread to over 220 towns and cities across all 31 of Iran's provinces. In a significant escalation, Iran's attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, has warned that protesters could be prosecuted as 'enemies of God', a charge punishable by death under the country's strict laws.
European Solidarity and Internet Blackout
From Glasgow and Newcastle to Berlin, Brussels, and Milan, Iranian expatriates and allies took to the streets. In several cities, including Newcastle, protesters burned pictures of Ayatollah Khamenei and chanted anti-regime slogans.
Meanwhile, inside Iran, authorities have imposed a nationwide internet shutdown lasting over 36 hours. Internet monitor NetBlocks and Amnesty International condemn the move, stating it aims to hide the regime's human rights violations and mask the scale of the violence.
Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran's deposed shah, urged protesters to adopt a new tactic, calling for them to "prepare to seize and hold city centres." The movement represents the most significant challenge to the Islamic Republic in years, met with a characteristically harsh response from the state's security apparatus, including the infamous Revolutionary Guards.
