Three and a half years ago, the world’s attention turned to Iran in the wake of the killing of Mahsa Amini. The “Woman Life Freedom” uprising received support from around the world, including from those then at UBC.
In 2022, no less than five demonstrations were held on campus condemning Iran’s religious totalitarianism. The Persian Club was at the centre of organizing those demonstrations, now continuing their calls for freedom and justice in Iran into 2026.
Around 200 demonstrators rallied on campus Jan. 16 to show “solidarity and support” for the anti-government protests in Iran, amid a government crackdown that has killed thousands.
The event’s organizers, the UBC Persian Club, held the rally in collaboration with 16 Iranian student organizations across Canada. That same day, several other universities such as the University of Toronto and SFU held similar rallies.
Announced in an Instagram post on Jan. 14, the organizers called on students to honour the bravery of “those who have sacrificed their lives for a free Iran,” and raise awareness of the protests among university students and western media. The post further called on participants to bring national symbols of the country, as well as photos of those murdered or imprisoned by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Hasti, an event organizer who asked to only be identified by her first name due to fears of reprisals if she travelled back to Iran, said the demonstration was to raise greater awareness among the non-Iranian community of the current human rights violations occurring in Iran.
Iran’s latest round of protests started in Tehran, Iran’s capital, on Dec. 28, amid economic discontent and a crashing currency. It quickly spread to other cities. By Jan. 6, protesters were rallying in over 280 locations across 27 of Iran’s 31 provinces. A few days earlier, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on state television that “rioters must be put in their place,” starting a crackdown that has killed thousands, leading to the arrest of tens of thousands more.
“It's important that people know that the Islamic regime, regardless of its geopolitical position, is not supported by the people of Iran,” Hasti said.
Telling The Ubyssey that the people of Iran are fighting for their basic human rights and their right to exist without the fear of being killed by their government, she hopes for the overthrow of the regime. “I'd like to see the people of Iran free,” she said.
Several demonstrators flew the lion and sun flag, which was the official flag of Iran until 1979 and has been used as a symbol of opposition against the Islamic Republic. Many were holding photos of Reza Pahlavi, an exiled Iranian opposition figure and son of the former shah of Iran. Pahlavi has called for the overthrow of the current regime, which toppled his own father from power during the 1979 revolution.
Not all protesters supported the use of the lion and sun flag. An attendee who identified herself as Lily said that those who flew the flag risked diminishing the “harsh realities that existed” under the monarchy before it collapsed. Through the 1970s, Iran faced scrutiny in the western world for human rights abuses committed by the shah’s secret police force, known as SAVAK. Reports alleged that thousands were arrested as political prisoners and hundreds died in detention. However, she emphasized that she supported regime change in Iran and that people are “desperate,” making some individuals willing to back any option that would lead to the end of the current regime.
Other attendees handed out pamphlets, pushing for greater media coverage about the protests. “Media coverage remains limited. This is not a war — it is a mass killing of civilians,” the pamphlet read.
Conflicting death tolls have been given, with widely varying estimates. The US-based human rights group Human Rights Activists News Agency said it confirmed over 5,000 deaths as a result of the protests, with 10,000 more cases under investigation. The Canadian non-governmental organization International Centre for Human Rights has suggested a much higher figure, with an estimated death toll over 43,000. The news broadcaster Iran International stated that more than 36,000 deaths have been confirmed, according to documents reviewed by its editorial board.
Information from inside Iran has been hard to get since the government cut off internet access across the country on Jan. 8. Hasti told The Ubyssey that calls from inside the country come sporadically, saying many Iranians in the diaspora do not know when calls will be made.
“We don't know what is happening, who is alive, who is not alive,” said Arya Noee, a demonstrator. “Every day we wake up, we don't know if our friends or our family members are alive.”
The regime also restricts international media outlets from operating inside Iran. This is part of a long-running campaign by the government to censor and arrest independent journalism inside the country. Iran ranks 176 out of 180 countries listed in the Reporters Without Borders 2025 Press Freedom Index.
A speaker at the event said that although the protests were sparked by an economic crisis, it was rooted in years of government repression. For five decades, Iranians have been living under a “violent, theocratic dictatorship imposed through mass killing,” they said. “This is not a government. It is occupation.”
Amnesty International, a leading human rights organization, accused Iran in 2024 of arbitrary executions, systemic discrimination and violence against women and minority groups, and torture of prisoners. Numerous other human rights groups and governments have condemned the government’s repression of peaceful protest and political dissent.
The speaker went on to say that the Iranian people demand freedom and regime change, and expressed a desire for a democratic, secular state that provides freedom of expression and equality under the law. “After this much loss, after this much blood, the Iranian people cannot and will not be forced back into silence,” they told the crowd.
Calling on the media to provide accurate coverage of the ongoing protests and reject regime narratives, they stated their desire for a united Iranian diaspora that worked toward securing “freedom, equality and democracy for the people of Iran.”
The speaker implored university departments to create spaces for community dialogue, support and reflection, and provide accommodations to students affected.
“Silence in the face of tyranny is complicity. Misrepresentation of this revolution is betrayal. The future of Iran belongs to its people.”
In an email, UBC told The Ubyssey that the university stands for reasoned debate and peaceful conflict resolution while opposing violence of any kind. The university wrote that all students, faculty and staff affected by global events can find resources on their web page.
Some student groups have commented in support of the protesters. On the day of the demonstration, the Arts Undergraduate Society posted a message on its Instagram, calling the current government “repressive” and acknowledged the difficulties that Iranian students face with the internet shutdown. “Iranian students deserve compassion and support from UBC and their peers while they grapple with the emotional weight of seeing the news surrounding Iran,” it said. “We hope [the protests] will lead to a more just future for the people of Iran.”
Canada has condemned Iran for years, accusing its government of ruling with an “iron fist,” and having a long-standing history of “abhorrent conduct.” In 2022, Canada sanctioned Iran for its human rights abuses. Two years later, Canada designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — a powerful security organization responsible for defending the ideology and system of Iran’s government — a terrorist organization. The IRGC has been accused of human rights abuses in the past, including charges of rape, torture and killing.
Demonstrators chanted “SOS, for Iran,” and “Down with Khamenei,” alluding to the supreme leader. A few minutes later, the group started marching towards the engineering cairn.
Moments before they arrived, some demonstrators started to spray-paint the cairn green, white and red, the colours of the Iranian flag. As the protesters gathered around the cairn, some added red handprints reminiscent of blood.
The protesters continued chanting for around half an hour until the group disbanded.
Newsha, a protester who was born in Iran and still has family in the country, told The Ubyssey that she was disappointed by Western media coverage of the protests. “I haven't spoken to my family in weeks, and Western media is only posting Islamic regime propaganda,” she said, emphasizing that she has been unable to return to Iran for years. “I'll be murdered for my tattoos. I'll be murdered for my fucking piercings. I'll be murdered for showing my hair,” she said. “I would never have the right to speak like this in that country.”
However, she was hopeful that she would be able to go back to a free Iran one day. Her parents left the country, Newsha said, so she could educate herself and “be able to do something for my country and free them eventually.”
