Demonstrators in Europe rally in support of Iranian protests

DEMONSTRATORS rallied in London, Paris and Istanbul at the weekend in support of protests in Iran that have been countered with a deadly crackdown by the country’s security forces.

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London demonstrations, initially in front of the Iranian embassy and later in front of the British prime minister’s residence, grew to several thousand as the day progressed.

“We want revolution, change the regime,’ Afsi, a 38-year-old Iranian, who declined to give her last name, said at the rally in front of Downing Street.

Afsi has lived in London for seven years, and has not been able to contact her family in Iran because of an internet blackout imposed by authorities since Thursday.

“It’s so frustrating, but it’s not the first time,” he said. “This time, we have hope ... we feel like we can do it (overthrow the government) this time.”

In Paris, more than 2 000 people waving Iran’s flag from before the Islamic Revolution in 1979 demonstrated, to chants of “No to the terrorist Islamic Republic”.

Police did not allow them to approach the Iranian embassy.