Iranian-Canadians gather; "Our voice must be louder than the voice of the defenders of the Islamic Republic in the West"

Hamed Esma'aliun, secretary and spokesman for the Ukrainian plane crash victims' association, said at a gathering of Iranians in Toronto, Canada, in solidarity with the people of Abadan and in support of the Iranian protests: "Our hand is short of Iran, but things can be done."

Hundreds of Iranian citizens living in Canada held rallies on Sunday, June 5, expressing solidarity with the grieving people of Abadan in the Metropole disaster and supporting the recent protests in Iran.

Organizers of the gatherings in Canadian cities have announced the message of these gatherings as "interaction, respect, and solidarity" with the people "to help the transition process from the Islamic Republic."

Hamed Esmailiyon, secretary and spokesman for the Ukrainian plane crash victims' association, was among the speakers at the Toronto rally. He pointed out that defenders of the Islamic Republic in the West are trying to normalize all events in Iran, including the collapse of the Metropole Tower and the shooting down of a passenger plane, and added: "Our voice should be louder than theirs in this country."

According to Hamed Esmailiyon, defenders of the Iranian government in the West “consider the terrorist as Sardar Aref and the leader of the murderers as Commander Salik,” but “our voices should be louder… It is run by the mafia. It is run by turbaned criminals and bloodthirsty IRGC officers.”

At the end of his speech, Mr. Esmailiyon expressed solidarity with the people of Abadan who are grieving the victims of the collapse of the Metropole Tower and said: "We are with you, Abadan. Live with your anger, for the downfall of the murderer will begin with your anger."

At least 40 people were killed when the Metropole building collapsed in Abadan on June 20. Some officials in the Islamic Republic have acknowledged that during the construction of the tower, there was a widespread dispute between the original owner of the tower, the municipality, and some officials.

According to the planners, these rallies were held in three cities: Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, with the participation of Iranian groups with various political leanings.

At the same time, and following the invitation of singer and musician Arash Sobhani, a group of Iranians living in Washington, D.C., gathered in front of the former Iranian embassy in the city in solidarity with the recent public protests.

After a musical performance by Arash Sobhani, the participants in the rally sang the song "Come together, dear, don't be alone in the pain" as a sign of solidarity with the protesting people of Iran.

The protesting singer, who had previously called on all artists to "embrace the voices of the protesters with their art," also announced at the end of the rally that he was trying to hold similar programs in other American cities.

In the days and nights following the Metropole collapse, Abadan was the scene of massive protests demanding the resignation and punishment of those responsible for the incident. These protests were often met with repression by special forces, and according to videos and public reports, military and law enforcement officers used tear gas, aerial fire, and live fire to disperse the crowds.

Source: Radio Farda