Thousands rally in downtown L.A. for regime change in Iran
by David Mazières
Los Angeles, California –
Thousands of Iranians rallied in downtown Los Angeles Saturday in yet another major show of support for the regime change policies being pushed by the US government in that country.
An estimated 10,000 people participated in the rally as people from all walks of life – students, members of the Iranian diaspora, members of pro-regime groups, young activists and others – gathered in downtown Los Angeles, protesting a law passed last week by California Governor Jerry Brown which grants immunity to US officials who deal with Iran from prosecution for any crimes they commit against the Iranian people.
“Brown has just signed another piece of legislation in California that gives immunity to US officials who kill Iranians. That’s the second bill he’s signed that gives immunity to US officials who kill Iranians,” said Mohsen Sazegara, a leading member of the Iranian diaspora who is part of the protest movement for regime change in Iran.
He added, “People are tired of the violence of US officials. The US government keeps killing Iranians, but no one in the US government is held to account for it, and no one calls them to account. People are tired of that and that’s why we are here.”
“This was a symbolic demonstration. It’s just to make the demonstration known to people in the US that we are fighting for our freedom and the freedom of Iranian people,” added Mahsa Riazbakhsh, a prominent Iranian-American human rights activist.
Another prominent Iranian-American human rights activist and member of the Iranian diaspora, Arash Nowruzany, said that the protests in Sacramento, California were more symbolic than anything. “We are here to protest the new immunity bills. We want the Iranian people to have a voice, which we don’t have today.”
A representative from the Iranian consulate in Los Angeles told the Los Angeles Times that the Iranian government was not aware of the Los Angeles protest.
“Iran has no embassy in Los Angeles. The Iranian government has no knowledge of this protest and has no presence in city of Los Angeles,” the representative told the Los Angeles Times.
The Los Angeles protest was organized by a group called “Pers