At a Glance
- About 4,000 demonstrators gathered near LA City Hall on Sunday
- Marchers waved pre-Islamic Revolution Iranian flags in peaceful rally
- Activists say Iranian crackdown has killed thousands amid currency collapse
- Why it matters: LA hosts the largest Iranian diaspora outside Iran, making local rallies a key voice for global solidarity
Los Angeles became a sea of pre-revolutionary Iranian flags Sunday as thousands turned downtown streets into a loud show of support for protesters facing a deadly crackdown thousands of miles away.
The “Solidarity with the People of Iran” rally drew an estimated 4,000 demonstrators to the area around Los Angeles City Hall, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Officers reported no arrests and described the event as peaceful.
Diaspora Voices
Los Angeles is home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran, and many marchers said they have lived in the United States for decades. They now watch in horror as social-media videos show security forces in their homeland firing on crowds demanding secular and democratic rule.
“We have so many freedoms here and what we see there happening is beyond comprehension,” said Ariel Rofeim, the son of a Jewish Iranian man who fled to the U.S. more than 40 years ago. “This is much bigger than internal politics or an issue that we see happening in the Middle East. This is a battle for humanity.”
Escalation After Currency Collapse
Nationwide protests in Iran intensified after the Iranian currency collapsed in December, fueling public anger over soaring prices and economic mismanagement. Activists say the ensuing crackdown by security forces has left thousands dead.
Protesters have flooded the streets of Tehran and Iran’s second-largest city, demanding an end to the theocracy that has ruled since 1979.
“Iranians do not want this government. I think they’ve been loud and clear,” rally organizer Kate Dehbashi told News Of Los Angeles. “They want to transition to a new government and Iran can be very successful like it’s been before the Islamic Revolution.”
Rally Atmosphere
Downtown Los Angeles echoed with chants and drumbeats as demonstrators marched under cloudy winter skies. Many carried the tricolor Iranian flag used before the Islamic Revolution, while others held placards bearing the names of those reported killed in the crackdown.
Ethan R. Coleman reported that families, students, and elderly Iranians converged on City Hall, some traveling from as far as Orange County and San Diego to voice solidarity.
Police closed several blocks around the civic center to traffic, allowing the crowd to spill into Grand Park. Officers on bicycles monitored the perimeter, and the department later tweeted praise for the “peaceful expression of free speech.”
Global Echo
Iranian-American groups organized similar solidarity rallies in other U.S. cities over the weekend, but Los Angeles drew the largest turnout. Organizers said the size reflects both the depth of local outrage and the concentration of Iranian exiles who maintain close ties to relatives still in Iran.
Rally speakers called on the U.S. government to increase pressure on Tehran through sanctions targeting officials responsible for the crackdown. Some urged American tech companies to maintain access to communication platforms that protesters use to share videos and coordinate demonstrations.
Personal Stories
Among the crowd was Nima H, a software engineer who asked that his last name be withheld to protect relatives in Iran. He said he has not slept properly since protests erupted in September, instead spending nights tracking messages from cousins in Tehran.
“Every ping on my phone could be the last time I hear from them,” he said. “Coming here today is the least I can do.”
Others said the rally offered a rare chance to speak freely after years of self-censorship within immigrant families. “We grew up whispering politics at home,” said Sara P, a 28-year-old graduate student. “Today we get to shout it in the streets.”
Key Takeaways
- The January 19, 2025 rally was the largest pro-Iran protest yet in Los Angeles
- No arrests were reported, underscoring the peaceful nature of the diaspora demonstration
- Organizers pledged to continue weekly rallies until they see “tangible change” in Iran
- Local Iranian-American leaders plan to lobby Congress for stronger human-rights sanctions
