CLEVELAND, Ohio — As a woman, the life and freedom that Farah Farahati has in the United States is something she says would be totally different today if she didn't leave her home country of Iran three decades ago.
“You’re not allowed to talk with a man right now, I’m talking to you,” said Farahti. “We not allowed to talk to men, if they are not husband and wife.”
That life and freedom is the foundation of the ongoing anti-government protests right now in Iran, originally led largely by young women and girls, those protests also taking place across the U.S. and the world.
The calls for equal rights in the country aren’t new but the flame grew bigger back in September.
After the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for improperly wearing her hijab or headscarf.
Locally, support from the Iranian community has been ringing loudly for months, next Saturday, January 21st from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Edgewater Park in Cleveland supporters will hold a caravan to continue calling attention to what's happening in Iran.
“We want to say that this Islamic republic of Iran is dangerous not only for the people of Iran it is dangerous internationally for all the people around the world,” said Farahti.
As Iranians in the U.S. spread that message, they're also thinking about their loved ones back home.
“They are scared to come out, I ask my friends and they told me that they ask their children not to go out," said Farahti.
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