Anti-Hijab Protests in Iran

As of Oct 16, 2022 Iran is in their fifth week of anti-hijab protests all across the country. What sparked this rage that people are feeling all around the world? 

Tamia Reid, News Editor '25

Protesters burn their hijabs to show their support towards protest against Iranian government. Photo from CBC

 

Amini Mahsa, a 22 year old Iranian woman was killed by a branch of  Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces, commonly referred to as the  morality police in northern Tehran on Friday, September 16th. According to NPR the mortality police is “who enforce the country’s rules on hijabs and other conservative Islamic modes of dress and behavior.” Aminah was arrested in her brother’s car after allegedly breaking hijab rules on September 13th. Aminah’s family claim that she was beaten by these officers and just three days later she passed from her injuries on September 16th. Police deny the allegations and claims that she died of a heart attack. 

People, especially women around the world are enraged by Mahsa’s death. To further combat the conservative laws, women have burned their hijabs, cut their hair, or just stopped wearing the hijab at all. Protests have been spreading like wildfire all over and continue to do so. There have been multiple different hashtags made that have been used all over social media. Well known actresses, singers, and athletes have stopped wearing the traditional head covering in solidarity of the movement. 

Violence towards women in Iran has become very normalized as the laws do nothing to truly protect them in their own country. In Iran women are required to follow strict laws on  Women have to fear for their lives because they are not covering up their own hair. 

The protests happening have taken a deadly turn. At least 215 people have lost their lives fighting for women’s rights and justice for Mahsa. A local Sacramento Iranian woman Naeirika Neev is continuing to fight for the women in her country here in the United States. In order to support the protests she states “it is one of the cases where just posting about it and just talking about it does actually help. It’s also very significant when non-Iranians show up and they want to learn, and they want to become aware and show solidarity because that within itself means that you’re watching what’s happening.”  As the world continues to watch the protests and send support to Amini’s family we can all only hope that the government will open its eyes and see how discriminatory and unjust this all is. 

Protesters cutting their own hair during more anti Iranian government protests. Photo from https://www.rferl.org/