By Maria Martinez
BERLIN, Feb 7 (Reuters) – Thousands of people protested in Berlin on Saturday in support of Iranians’ nationwide uprising, coinciding with the anniversary of Iran’s 1979 anti-monarchy revolution.
The rally follows nationwide protests in Iran, which started in December over economic hardships and quickly turned political and were repressed in the most violent crackdown since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Around 8,000 were gathered at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate at 1300 GMT, the Berlin police told Reuters, adding that 20,000 had registered to attend.
Shahin Gobadi, a member of the foreign affairs committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), claimed the crowd numbered 100,000, saying thousands were unable to travel to Berlin after flights were cancelled because of weather.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo joined the event online after his flight was cancelled.
The event is supported by 344 organizations and political figures, including parliamentary friendship groups for Iran, trade unions, and civil society actors at national and local levels from several European countries, as well as 312 Iranian associations in Europe, according to the organisers.
“The message of the Iranian people and their Resistance has been and remains this: no appeasement, no war or foreign intervention, regime change and sovereignty of the republic of the people, by the people and their organised resistance,” said Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, at the rally in Berlin.
(Reporting by Maria Martinez, Editing by Louise Heavens)
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