It has come to my attention that Islamic Regime Supporters in Toronto, a group of “unknown” Iranians who refer to themselves as “Committee for Solidarity in Iran”, are once again organizing a protest on July 25th 2009 from 11:00 to 2:00pm. The rally is to start at University and College, and it is to continue southbound on University towards Queen Street.
Those of us who live in Toronto have become quite familiar with the “Committee for Solidarity in Iran.” This is a group who organizes protests supposedly in solidarity with the Iranian people and for human rights, yet they deny protestors some of the most basic rights, such as the right to freedom of expression. On numerous occasions this group has asked and even threatened people with physical assault if they bring a flag with a logo to the protests.
The Islamic Regime thugs hired by this Committee have attacked, and threatened protestors on numerous occasions. I was personally surrounded by 5-6 Islamic Regime thugs on June 26th 2009 and yelled at and threatened for having a Lion and Sun Flag, and shouting “Down with the Islamic Regime.” I was still lucky, because other people have been physically attacked by these thugs.
This Committee has two main goals: To make sure people do not bring Lion and Sun Flags to the protests, and to make sure people don’t shout anti-Islamic Regime Slogans during the protests. The reason for this is very clear, as long as there are no Lion and Sun Flags, and no anti-Islamic Regime slogans the protests could still be about the elections. However once there are Lion and Sun Flags and anti-Islamic Regime slogans in a protest it becomes very clear that the protest is against the Islamic Regime as a whole and not just about the elections.
People of Toronto have been fighting long and hard against the “Committee for Solidarity with the Iranian People” and we have managed to have our Lion and Sun Flags flying high and proud in all major protests in Toronto, despite threats of physical assault by this Committee. It has come to a point where in their latest advertisement for the upcoming protest there is no mention of flag, and no threats or warnings for people who might want to bring the Lion and Sun Flag.
This is a great victory for the freedom loving Iranians in Toronto. We must keep on pushing and keep on being present with our Lion and Sun Flags and our anti-Islamic Regime slogans, to make sure that the voices of our innocent brothers and sisters in Iran are heard. We cannot leave the protests to Islamic Regime supporters who want to remain silent in the face of atrocities that are taking place in Iran right now. The only way to make sure the voices of Iranians in Iran are heard, is for us to raise our voice in solidarity and say “Down with the Islamic Regime, Long Live Freedom in Iran.”
