Protesters to join arms as part of ‘human chain’ across Canada in support of Iran

A “human chain” of protesters is set to lock arms in 140 cities around the world Saturday as part of a global day of action for Iran.

The Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims is helping to coordinate the events across Canada taking place at various times in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.

Demonstrators in Toronto are set to gather near Centerpoint Mall at Yonge Street and Steeles Avenue East at 10 a.m. where the plan is to form a human chain right down to the foot of Yonge Street at Queens Quay.

International support for nationwide anti-government protests in Iran have continued to grow following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on Sept. 16 while in the custody of the country’s morality police.

The protests across Iran have become the greatest threat to the country’s theocratic government since the 2009 Green Movement demonstrations, evolving from focusing on women’s rights and the state-mandated headscarf, or hijab, to calls to oust Shiite clerics who have ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Weeks into the protests, women continue to remove their hijabs during the street demonstrations as international pressure grows on Iran’s government over its crackdown on protesters.

At least 270 people have been killed and nearly 14,000 have been arrested, according to the group Human Rights Activists in Iran.

In its strongest statement yet, the United Nations on Friday condemned “all incidents that have resulted in death or serious injury to protesters” in Iran and reiterated “that security forces must avoid all unnecessary or disproportionate use of force against peaceful protesters.”

“Those responsible must be held to account,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, adding that the U.N. was urging Tehran “to address the legitimate grievances of the population, including with respect to women’s rights.”

Files from The Associated Press were used in this report.