The protest, organised by Barnet Anglo-Iranians, focused on the mullahs human rights abuses, public executions, regional aggression, piracy, hostage-taking, and support for terrorism, among other things.
One of the speakers at the event was Conservative MP Dr Matthew Offord, whose Hendon constituency has the highest percentage of Anglo-Iranians in the UK. Offord, a keen supporter of the NCRI, who has attended and spoke at many of their rallies across the world, stated that the UK should be tougher on Iran.
He said: “Today our response should be firm, held on the principle that the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and the regime of Iran should be held to account to their atrocities. These organisations should be proscribed in their entirety under the terrorism act.”
.@Offord4Hendon tells the #FreeIran London rally: “The Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) & the regime of Iran should be held to account for their atrocities. These organizations should be proscribed in their entirety under the UK Terrorism Act.” #IStandWithMaryamRajavi #WeSupportMEK pic.twitter.com/PIpstGbQLM
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 27, 2019
Earlier this month, Offord attended the Free Iran rally hosted by the NCRI in Albania. In 2016, he was one of 200 cross-party MPs who called for an investigation into the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners in Iran; a crime against humanity that was committed by those who still hold power in the regime today. No one has ever been held to account.
Also addressing the crowd, was Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the NCRI, who spoke via a video message.
She said: “Your demonstration in London today is the culmination of a series of Free Iran protest rallies that ran from Brussels to Washington, Berlin to Stockholm in a month and a half.”
Rajavi explained that the Iranian regime only understands the language of firmness and determination, so she urged the UK and Europe to “stop paying ransom to the Mullahs” and called on the new British government, led by Boris Johnson, to support human rights in Iran.
During the rally, a representative of the Barnet Angelo-Iranian Community of Youth presented a letter to Johnson, on behalf of the entire community, urging him to act now of the Regime, before it is too late.
The march began at Whitehall, featuring speeches and performances by artists, like Iranian singer Marjan, before ending at Parliament Square. As Rajavi said, this was the fifth rally across Europe and the US since the beginning of June.
