Video Shows Iranians Defying Regime by Refusing To Trample on American Flag
Iranian protesters refused to walk on large U.S. and Israeli flags painted on the sidewalk at a university in Tehran in footage posted on social media over the weekend.
NBC News reported the scene took place at Beheshti University.
“This appeared to be a symbolic gesture, given that walking on, or burning, these flags has been a feature of previous demonstrations,” the news outlet reported.
BBC journalist Ali Hamedani said the protesters’ actions are an indication the Iranian regime’s anti-American, anti-Israel indoctrination has failed.
“At the height of the Iranian establishment anti Americanism, Tehran Beheshti university’s students refused walking over the US and Israel flag while participating in #IranProtests,” Hamedani tweeted.
“They all grew up to hate the two countries but seems like the revolutionary ideology is failed,” he added.
At the height of the Iranian establishment anti Americanism, Tehran Beheshti university’s students refused walking over the US and Israel flag while participating in #IranProtests . They all grew up to hate the two countries but seems like the revolutionary ideology is failed. pic.twitter.com/ABQY3GzWMo
— Ali Hamedani (@BBCHamedani) January 12, 2020
Iranian reporter Masih Alinejad tweeted, “Watch how Iranian students refuse to step on American & the flag of Israel.
“This should embarrassed Iranian regime & their propaganda funeral for #Soleimani where people were told to chant ‘Death To America,'” Alinejad wrote.
“Now people in Iran chanting ‘Death to Islamic Republic dictatorship.'”
Watch how Iranian students refuse to step on American & the flag of Israel.
This should embarrassed Iranian regime & their propaganda funeral for #Soleimani where people were told to chant “Death To America”.
Now people in Iran chanting “Death to Islamic Republic dictatorship.” pic.twitter.com/hTxDuxZeaB— Masih Alinejad ?️ (@AlinejadMasih) January 12, 2020
The Jerusalem Post reported, “A few people who did walk over the flags were booed by protesters in the area with chants of ‘Shame on you,'”
“Some reports said that the protesters near the flags chanted ‘Our enemy is in Iran, not America.'”
President Donald Trump responded to the gesture by the Iranian protesters, tweeting on Monday, “Wow! The wonderful Iranian protesters refused to step on, or in any way denigrate, our Great American Flag.”
“It was put on the street in order for them to trample it, and they walked around it instead. Big progress!” he added.
Wow! The wonderful Iranian protesters refused to step on, or in any way denigrate, our Great American Flag. It was put on the street in order for them to trample it, and they walked around it instead. Big progress!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 13, 2020
There is also footage on social media of posters of Qassem Soleimani being torn down.
“A couple of brave protesters brought down the poster of #Soleimani which had been displayed all over the walls of towns in Iran by the regime’s authorities,” the Twitter account Iran Revival posted.
A couple of brave protesters brought down the poster of #Soleimani which had been displayed all over the walls of towns in Iran by the regime’s authorities. #IranProtests #IranProtests2020 pic.twitter.com/5u1qzTaOHT
— Iran Revival | فَرَشگَرد (@iranfarashgard) January 12, 2020
On Saturday, Trump posted the most popular Farsi tweet in history, which received over 360,000 likes.
به مردم شجاع و رنج کشیده ایران: من از ابتدای دوره ریاست جمهوریم با شما ایستادهام و دولت من همچنان با شما خواهد ایستاد. ما اعتراضات شما را از نزدیک دنبال می کنیم. شجاعت شما الهام بخش است.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2020
“To the brave and suffering Iranian people: I have stood with you since the beginning of my presidency and my government will continue to stand with you,” the tweet said in English. “We are following your protests closely. Your courage is inspiring.”
One of the protesters told NBC News by phone Monday that the Iranian government shooting down a Ukrainian passenger jet and then lying about it to the public for days sparked the demonstrations, but are not the sole cause.
“Our protests were about all of the irresponsibility of the regime, not just the plane. The plane was the trigger of this protest,” said Elhan, 29, who did not want her last name published.
She added that demonstrators “just want a true democracy … we are so angry and sad.”
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