Hundreds of thousands of Iranians gathered in Tehran today to celebrate the anniversary of their theocracy and also to chant “death to America,” burn U.S. flags and carry effigies of President Trump. From Reuters:
On the anniversary of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the U.S.-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, marchers including hundreds of military personnel and policemen streamed towards Tehran’s Azadi (Freedom) Square for the main event.
They carried “Death to America” banners and effigies of Trump while a military police band played traditional Iranian revolutionary songs.
State TV showed footage of people stepping on Trump’s picture in a central Tehran street…
The rallies bristled with anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli sentiment. Some protesters carried pictures of Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and British Prime Minister Theresa May with the caption “Death to the Devil Triangle”.
Some images showing the anti-American tone of the event:
Marchers take selfies w/ US flag at Islamic revolution anniversary rally pic.twitter.com/p70h0yzDKd
— Sobhan Hassanvand 📰 سبحان حسنوند (@Hassanvand) February 10, 2017
.@POTUS, @realDonaldTrump, lynched at Iran's revolution anniversary rally in Tehran pic.twitter.com/4hWovBMUiM
— Sobhan Hassanvand 📰 سبحان حسنوند (@Hassanvand) February 10, 2017
How do you say “America was never great” in Farsi?
📹 American🇺🇸, Israeli🇮🇱 flags set on fire at Islamic revolution anniversary rally in Tehran
Chants: Death to US, death to UK pic.twitter.com/F3wwrlnumB— Sobhan Hassanvand 📰 سبحان حسنوند (@Hassanvand) February 10, 2017
Teaching the next generation to hate:
Free polish for marchers on US flag at 38th anniversary of Iran's Islamic revolution rally pic.twitter.com/8liRF3mXnp
— Sobhan Hassanvand 📰 سبحان حسنوند (@Hassanvand) February 10, 2017
Some signs specifically thank the U.S. people which, in this case, means progressives protesting Trump’s travel ban.
Two stories from today's rally in Tehran marking Iran's 1979 revolution in 2017 after #JCPOA & @realDonaldTrump presidency
🇮🇷 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/eY6VjDD30x— Sobhan Hassanvand 📰 سبحان حسنوند (@Hassanvand) February 10, 2017
This CNN report opens with that same distinction between anger at the U.S. government and anger at its people, but it goes on to note there was lots of anti-U.S. animus on display:
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