On October 4, the Persian Club worked alongside community members to organize a march from the Nest to the Engineering Cairn following government crackdowns on protesters in Iran in response to the death of Mahsa Amini.
Amini died on September 16 after Iranian police detained her for incorrectly wearing her hijab. Iranian authorities assert that she died of a heart attack. However eyewitness reports state she fell into a coma after police beat her.
The march began at the Nest, as the community played music and began to gather. Speakers spoke about the situation and the effect it has had on them personally and on Iran. They also called for the end of the Iranian clerical regime. Organizers and other students led chants like “Stand with students in Iran” and “Say her name: Mahsa Amini,” as attendees moved to the Engineering Cairn.
At the Cairn, students mourned over those lost in the struggle for freedom, as well as for family members back in Iran. In Sharpie, they left messages on the Carin such as “For my little sister” and “Don't let them be voiceless.”
The march on Tuesday was in response to news that university students in Iran are being arrested and shot at for protesting.
“At UBC, we have a lot of alumni who come from Sharif University, and we collectively decided to come together to condemn what had happened at Sharif University, and stand in solidarity with the students there as well as the people of Iran,” said one attendee at the march. Their identity has been omitted for their personal safety.
“Because we are in a place where we are able to speak freely without having to face the repercussions that students in Iran have to face, we should use that,” said another attendee whose identity has been omitted for personal safety.
She said she marched to challenge the ongoing human rights violations that have lasted in Iran for decades. “Today is especially important, because it’s not just about the death of an individual, it’s symbolic of a struggle that has been taking place for forty-plus years.”
Protests have spread to all 31 Iranian provinces, as well as across the globe. The Persian Club hosted another demonstration on campus on September 21.
“I hope to contribute by using my white privilege in the best way that I can,” said Vivica Sparrow, a first-year student in the Faculty of Arts.
In a statement sent to The Ubyssey on October 3, the Persian Club called on UBC to provide more support for Iranian students.
“Students at UBC need a clear procedure to speak to their professors, receive leniency and compassion in their coursework, and access mental health support,” the statement read.
“Additionally, many students have been cut off from their families back home and are in need of avenues to receive temporary financial relief. Students need fast access to mental health support and resources at UBC as students are grieving and dealing with the anxiety of their friends and family back in Iran.”
This article and headline were updated on October 5 at 5:16 p.m. to reflect that the Persian Club worked alongside community members to organize the October 4 march.
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