Hundreds gather in downtown Orlando joining protests around the world calling for regime change in Iran on Sunday.
Demonstrators said they were showing their support for friends and family in Iran amid the ongoing protests in the country that are now entering their second week as the death toll rises.
Protests began on Dec. 28 in Iran over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency and intensified into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy. Amid the Iranian government’s crackdown on protests, which included shutting down the internet and plunging the country into an information blackout, at least 538 people have been killed and more are feared dead, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency on Sunday. Meanwhile over 10,600 people have been detained over the two weeks of protests, the agency said.
President Donald Trump has pledged support for protestors in Iran and said the U.S. could intervene if protestors are killed. On Sunday the Associated Press reported Trump is weighing potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by either the U.S. or Israel.
“Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday. “The USA stands ready to help!!!”
Just before 2 p.m. on both sides of E. Robinson Street near Lake Eola hundreds gathered waving Iranian and American flags, holding signs that read “down with the dictator” while chanting “free Iran” amid the rain. Passersby honked in support and rolled down their windows to cheer.
Amid the protestors was 42-year-old Pooyan Balouchian who helped organize the event. He fled Iran roughly 20 years ago and previously served as the president of the Iranian American Community Center in Orlando for four years.
“We all gathered here today to show our support for the brave people of Iran who have been under a severe amount of suppression for over 46 years,” Balouchian said. “They have killed a lot of people but right now is not the time to mourn because we do not want their blood to be forgotten and in order to do that we need to have a forward-looking vision and that is the collapse of the Islamic regime.”
Balouchian said he is grateful for the verbal support by President Trump but wants to see action.
“Having someone like Donald Trump in the White House played a key role in making this movement successful and seeing what’s unfolding,” Balouchian said. “But we need something in terms of action right now — if that means a military operation against the regime so that the people of Iran become braver, then let it be.”
But Balouchian said he is “hopeful” and believes change in Iran is “imminent” because the protests are unlike any before.
Kazem Alasvandian, 74, left Iran in 1977 and has not been back since. His 21-year-old nephew was executed in an Iranian prison after being arrested for protesting, he said. On Sunday he waved an American flag and an Iranian flag as a symbol of what he has learned from living in this country, he said.
“I learned from the Americans that you have to stand up for something and that’s what I did,” Alasvandian said. “I’m here in solidarity with everyone protesting around the world for Iranians.”
Alasvandian said these protests are different to the many others in Iran and is also hopeful that with the backing of President Trump it will bring real change.
“For so many years the Iranians always struggle and come outside to protest but they’ve been crushed by this regime,” Alasvandian said. “This time, when President Trump says something I guess the whole world is listening.”
Alasvandian said another protest is planned for next week in Tampa and plans to drive from Orlando to participate there as well.
