Tens of thousands march in Berlin in support of Iran protests - Reuters.com

BERLIN/DUBAI, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of radical marched successful Berlin connected Saturday successful a amusement of enactment for protesters successful Iran wherever unrest ignited by Mahsa Amini's decease successful constabulary custody entered a sixth week contempt a deadly authorities crackdown.

The protests person posed 1 of the boldest challenges to Iran's clerical enactment since the 1979 revolution, adjacent if they bash not look adjacent to toppling a authorities that has deployed its almighty information apparatus to quell the unrest.

Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, died successful the custody of morality constabulary aft being detained for "improper attire". Protests erupted astatine her ceremonial connected Sept. 17 successful the Kurdish municipality of Saqez earlier spreading crossed Iran. Rights groups accidental much than 200 radical person been killed successful the crackdown.

Women person played a salient part, waving and burning veils. The deaths of respective teenaged girls reportedly killed during protests person fuelled much anger.

In Berlin, constabulary estimated 80,000 radical joined the march, with protesters waving Iranian flags and holding banners saying "Women, Life, Freedom". Organisers said Iranians had travelled from the United States, Canada and each implicit the European Union.

"From Zahedan to Tehran, I sacrifice my beingness for Iran," quality rights activistic Fariba Balouch said aft giving a code astatine the Berlin gathering, referring to Iranian cities swept up successful the protests. The assemblage responded with “Death to Khamenei”, referring to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Anti-government activists said the Berlin march was the largest ever objection against the Islamic Republic by Iranians abroad.

"I consciousness precise good, due to the fact that we are present to (say) 'We are with you, with each Iranian people'. I americium Mahsa Amini's voice," said a protester who gave her sanction arsenic Maru.

Videos posted connected societal media - which Reuters could not independently verify - showed protests continuing successful Iran astatine respective cities including Tehran, northeastern Mashhad, northwestern Mahabad and a fig of universities crossed the country.

One video showed protesters lighting fires successful the streets of Tehran's Lalehzar district. Another showed cars successful Mashhad honking their horns and demonstrators chanting "death to the dictator".

'THE LAST WARNING'

Khamenei has warned nobody should situation think they tin uproot the Islamic Republic, accusing its adversaries of fomenting the unrest. State TV has reported the deaths of astatine slightest 26 members of the information forces.

Some of the deadliest unrest has been successful areas location to ethnic minorities with long-standing grievances against the state. These see the Sistan-Baluchistan state successful the southeast and its provincial superior Zahedan.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards connected Saturday accused a starring Sunni cleric of agitating against the Islamic Republic and warned it whitethorn outgo him dearly aft helium held officials including Khamenei liable for dozens killed successful Zahedan past month.

Amnesty International has said information forces killed at slightest 66 people successful a crackdown aft Friday prayers successful Zahedan, connected Sept. 30.

Molavi Abdolhamid, Zahedan's starring Sunni cleric, said during his Friday sermon that officials including Khamenei, caput of the Shi'ite-dominated state, were "responsible earlier God" for the Sept. 30 killings. He described the sidesplitting arsenic a massacre, saying bullets had been fired astatine heads and chests.

A abbreviated connection connected Sepah News, the Revolutionary Guards' authoritative quality site, said: "Mr. Abdolhamid, encouraging and agitating youths against the ineffable Islamic Republic of Iran whitethorn outgo you dearly! This is the past warning!"

State media said astatine the clip of the Sept. 30 unit that "unidentified equipped individuals" opened occurrence connected a constabulary station, prompting information forces to instrumentality fire.

The Revolutionary Guards said 5 members of its forces and the unpaid Basij militia were killed during the Sept. 30 violence. Authorities blamed a Baluchi militant group. Neither that radical nor immoderate different faction claimed a role.

Protests had been fuelled by allegations of the rape of a section teenaged miss by a constabulary officer. Officials person said the lawsuit was being investigated.

After protests erupted successful Zahedan again connected Friday, lawman interior curate for security, Majid Mir Ahmadi, said calm had returned, authoritative quality bureau IRNA reported.

He said 150 "thugs attacked nationalist spot and adjacent those shops belonging to Sunnis".

Rights groups accidental the authorities has agelong discriminated against taste minorities including the Kurds.

The authorities denies accusations of discrimination.

In Iran's Kurdish portion connected Saturday, videos posted online showed shopkeepers connected onslaught successful respective cities successful the northwestern Kurdish region, including Sanandaj, Saqez and Bukan.

Reporting by Dubai newsroom and Victoria Waldersee, Leon Malherbe and Oliver Denzer successful Berlin; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Alex Richardson and Christina Fincher

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