Iranian Canadians celebrate death of President Ebrahim Raisi, dance and sing in Toronto
- WGON
- May 21, 2024
- 2 min read
On Monday, dozens of Iranian Canadians and allies congregated in North York's Mel Lastman Square to celebrate the death of Ebrahim Raisi. The now-former Iranian president was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday in the East Azerbaijan region alongside a number of other Islamic regime officials.
The group of Torontonians sang, danced, and cheered, celebrating the death of the man known as the "Butcher of Tehran" for his violent crackdown on political dissidents and those who protested the brutal actions of the Iranian government against its citizens.
Throughout the square, people waved Israeli flags and pre-revolution Iranian flags, dancing hand in hand to the sounds of Israeli and Persian music. "For all the lives brutally torn away from us, rest in hell Raisi," one attendee's sign read. At one point, organizer Salman Sima led the crowd in a chant of "Helicopter!" "Under the brutal regime in Iran," the former political prisoner continued, "Iran is not feeling well. Raisi rest in hell." He then called out "Supreme Loser" Ali Khamenei.
"Iran is not feeling well, Khamenei, go to hell!" the crowd chanted in unison. The crowd went on to demand that Justin Trudeau list the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.
It was first reported that Raisi's helicopter had crashed on Sunday. A search party was sent out, and by Monday morning, it was confirmed that the president was dead. Also killed were the pilot and co-pilot, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Islamic Republic's representative to the East Azerbaijan province Seyyed Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, and the province's governor Malek Rahmati.
When news broke that Raisi had died, many Iranians from Tehran from his hometown of Mashhad reportedly took to the streets in celebration. Iranian officials and state-run media put out a call for the public to gather in prayer. Video could be seen on social media of both supporters and detractors acknowledging Raisi's death in their own ways.
Many western nations sent their "official condolences" to Iran. The United States did note, however, that, "we reaffirm our support for the Iranian people and their struggle for human rights and fundamental freedoms."
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