Iran witnesses widespread outrage, women burn hijabs to protest Mahsa Amini's death. Watch video

Several women in the Iranian city of Kerman burned their hijabs (or headscarves) as public outrage over the death of a young woman in police custody caused protests throughout the country.

In a recent video, a massive crowd can be seen cheering a woman who lifts a pair of scissors to her hair that was exposed as she was not wearing a hijab. The woman then cuts her ponytail and raises her fist in the air while the vast crowd, primarily men, keeps roaring.
The mighty act of defiance was done on the night of September 20 on the city streets.





The series of protests heightened after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody last week. Iran is witnessing widespread protest across all its cities and towns - from Tehran, the country's capital, to Mashad, a stronghold of conservatives.

Video footages show protestors chanting slogans like "Women, life, freedom." Moreover, many protestors could be seen scuffling with police personnel, setting up bonfires, or burning their hijabs. Some protestors have even destroyed posters of the Supreme Leader of Iran while raising slogans like "Death to the dictator."



In a video that emerged from protests in Tehran, young protestors were seen marching on the street and shouting that they were the children of war and that if the authorities would fight against them, they would "fight back." Almost all the towns in the Kurdish region, including Hamedan and Kermanshah, have witnessed demonstrations. Notably, protests of this scale in Iran were last seen three years ago, in 2019, when the government had hiked gas prices.

A source told CNN that at least one instance of the police's heavy-handedness has occurred near the Enghelab Square of Iran. As per some human rights groups, at least seven people have been killed till now. The Norway-based human rights organisation, Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, has stated that at least five protesters have suffered fatal shots in the Kurdish region over the past few days.

FAQs:

Why is Iran witnessing widespread protests across all its cities?
Several Iranian people have come out on the streets to protest against the country's mandatory hijab law.

Who was Mahsa Amini?
Mahsa Amini was a 22-year-old girl who died in police custody last week.