After the largest anti-government protests in Iran in years were violently crushed, nationwide demonstrations against the regime initially eased. In Luxembourg, around 100 people gathered in front of the US embassy on Saturday to show solidarity with the Iranian people, honour the victims, and call on international actors, particularly the US President, to increase pressure on Tehran.
The demonstration is part of an internationally coordinated effort to protest in front of US embassies worldwide on the same day.
The situation in Iran has sparked protests far beyond its own borders, as people take to the streets around the world to highlight the injustices, and call on international actors to take action. On Saturday, demonstrators from Trier, Luxembourg and the Greater Region gathered in Limpertsberg outside the American Embassy.
The demonstration is part of an internationally coordinated mobilisation, organised by Iranian citizens and supporters in several countries on the same day, in front of US embassies worldwide. Gorgie Zadeh, from the Iranian Association for Culture and Human Rights in Trier, explains:
“President Trump promised us help; he said the people in Iran should take to the streets and “we will support you”. So far, nothing has happened. We want to remind Mr Trump once again that we are waiting for his help.”
The internet shutdown, now in place for more than a week, is preventing activists from knowing the full scale of the violence. According to monitoring organisation NetBlocks, connectivity restrictions have lasted for more than 200 hours. As a result, Iranians living abroad have been unable to contact family members and friends in the affected areas.
“We are extremely worried. We don’t know how our family members are. We are living in uncertainty and have no idea what is happening to our loved ones in Iran,” one demonstrator said. “We are calling on the European Union and Luxembourg to stand up for the wider population in Iran.”
During the demonstration, participants also signed a petition outlining concrete demands and expectations for the American President. The petition is due to be personally handed to the US Ambassador on Sunday.
