This afternoon in Bonn Square, over 50 people gathered to attend a vigil in solidarity with Iranians, especially Iranian women. Mahsa Amini’s death has recently sparked widespread protests in Iran, as many believe she was killed by the country’s so-called morality police — an allegation which they deny. The vigil was organised by students who have chosen to remain anonymous.
Flowers and candles were laid in memory of Mahsa Amini. Protestors chanted ‘Woman. Life. Freedom.” and “Say her name! Mahsa Jina Amini!” Many in attendance also brought placards or posters.
People of all ages were at the vigil. Shirin* and Shishi* (both aged 11) were among the attendees. When asked why they were there today, Shirin replied, “to support my people. The people who did this — they can’t just go around killing people for not wearing what they want them to wear.”
These thoughts were echoed by another attendee, who said, “They call themselves the morality police, but there’s no morality in killing someone.”
Arian Amiri, a second year history and politics student at Corpus Christi, also shared with The Oxford Blue why he was at the vigil today. “When I see that Mahsa, only 22 years old, has been killed, it reminds me of my sister […] When I see women protesting in the streeting being gunned down it reminds me of my mother, who had to flee Iran. When I see the men go into the streets and they protest and defend their sisters rights, all I can think about is my own father, my cousins, my friends. Every time I see [a protestor] gunned down, I feel like my own brother and sister has been murdered.”
“It breaks my heart that I’m over here,” he added.
“As a student of the University of Oxford it’s even more important that I’m out here,” Amiri said, referencing the protests by Iranian students at Sharif University, which were ‘brutally repressed’. “All I could think about is what if I was in my college and I had the British Army outside gunning me down. It would be horrific. It made me sick to my stomach.”
I’m gonna keep coming out here, I’m gonna keep going to protests, until the day that my sister and my mother can show their hair and let it blow in the wind in the streets. Until then, I’m going to keep protesting for these human rights.”
Between chants, a few people stepped forward to speak to the crowd. One such person was Councillor Dr Hosnieh Djafari-Marbini. She said, “We are here today to stand in solidarity with our Iranian sisters who are leading – as they have always done – the fight for equality and freedom. This is a small thing we can do, and I know that friends back at home really appreciate it.”
The impact of the vigil was also felt closer to home. Ryan, an Iranian student of the University of Oxford, said that he is new to the city and that it is “good to learn that there are a lot of people here, not just students but also young people and people who live in Oxford, who have come to show their support.”
*Names changed to protect to identities.