Protest at Iran embassy

Protesters burned flags, passports and hijab headscarves outside the Iranian embassy in Wellington yesterday in a rousing demonstration in solidarity with women and protesters in Iran while calling for stronger action from the New Zealand Government. Organiser Hanna Habibi said it was “not a symbol of Islam we’re burning” but a symbol of “oppression”, with women in her home country forced to wear hijab. Protests in Iran and across the globe were sparked by the death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini, an Iranian Kurd who died in custody on September 16 after being detained by the morality police because her hijab was allegedly too loose.