Iranian protesters in UK attacked by Kurdish separatists, told to lower Israeli flags

Iranian protesters bearing Israeli flags at rallies held in London have spoken out about the opposition they encountered from a mob affiliated with the Kurdish separatist group, Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) this weekend. 

Several members of the mob who spat at and harassed those at the rallies, demanding they must remove their Israeli flags, were identified as being part of the MEK, a group previously designated as a terror organization in the UK and the U.S. 

“A group of Iranians gathered peacefully outside No.10 carrying Iranian flags [with the Lion and Sun design], alongside Israeli and British flags,” Roobin Norouzi told ALL ISRAEL NEWS about the demonstration on Saturday. "At the same time, members and supporters of the MEK were present nearby with banners, loudspeakers, and bangers.”

The MEK or People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran was founded in 1965 to bring down Iran’s monarchy. Ideologically, the group blends Marxist and Islamist ideology, and despite their opposition to Reza Pahlavi and the monarchy, they also would like to see an end to the current Islamic regime in favor of their own group led by Maryam and Massoud Rajavi.

Maryam Rajavi has been banned from the UK for terrorist ideology and activity.

“From the outset, their focus was not opposition to the Islamic Republic, but hostility toward us — particularly toward supporters of the Pahlavi legacy and anyone carrying Israeli flags,” said Norouzi. “Their chants and insults targeted Reza Pahlavi and Iranian monarchists exclusively. There were no anti–Islamic Republic slogans from their side."

The MEK has a history of violence, armed conflict, and the assassination of U.S. personnel and Iranian officials. They fought with Saddam Hussein against Iran during the Iran-Iraq War. According to Nozouri, MEK exploits vulnerable asylum seekers in the UK by giving them help in exchange for their support for the movement.

Maryam Tavakkolian, one of those at the rally, told ALL ISRAEL NEWS that their Iranian group has been openly declaring solidarity and friendship with Israel for years. 

“On Sundays these past few years, we’ve had events and gatherings there every single Sunday. The Iraqi Kurds would come once a month, and as the situation in Iran became more intense, their attendance and the frequency of their meetings increased as well. That Sunday, the very first incident was when an Iraqi Kurdish man approached us and questioned why we were displaying the Israeli flag. He then tried to tear down the Israeli flag,” she explained.

“The police witnessed this, and four officers immediately intervened and confronted him, asking by what right he was touching our flag and our belongings. He responded by saying that if we were Iranian, we should only have the Iranian flag, and that we had no right to display the Israeli flag.”

“Then the police said that it was none of their business and that (they) had no right to judge; people could hold whatever flags they wanted,” she continued.

“We spotted some members of the Mojahedin among them, and we realized that this might cause trouble, since they can be quite ruthless,” she said, adding, “Once the gathering began, we noticed that a group emerged from behind the park, attacking us from the rear, throwing objects and chanting slogans… and accusing us of genocide. We tried to manage the situation, but they were extremely aggressive.” 

“During this event, British police approached our group and asked us to lower Israeli flags on the grounds that they might 'agitate' the MEK crowd. We refused peacefully and continued our demonstration,” Nozouri said.

In addition to the protest outside No.10 on Saturday, there was another rally the following day outside the Iranian Embassy. With a large banner urging the British government to “Proscribe the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity” emblazoned on a fence, the group waved the three flags of a post Islamic regime Iran, along with the flag of Israel and the Union Jack.

“Iranians gathered peacefully outside the Iranian Embassy with Iranian and Israeli flags,” Nozouri relayed. “At this event, approximately 15–20 individuals emerged from the park behind the fencing and attacked our group, throwing bottles, spitting, and hurling verbal abuse. Several of them were recognizable as the same individuals present with the MEK the previous day, including the same drummer. This pattern deeply concerns many of us,” he said, indicating it was reminiscent of events and dynamics that led up to the revolution in 1979.

“In 1979, MEK, Marxists, communists, and separatist elements united against the Shah, while Western governments largely turned a blind eye. The result is the regime Iran has suffered under for 47 years,” he said, unnerved that the police seemed unwilling to protect the rallies.

“Today, we are seeing the same pattern re-emerge,” he warned. “MEK is operating freely in Europe despite its violent past. They are targeting Iranian protesters rather than the Islamic Republic, using identity politics, separatist grievances, and intimidation.”

Among the crowd attacking the rally was the man who choked high profile Iranian dissident and pro-Israel activist, Niyak Ghorbani in August, grabbing him by the throat. Ghorbani has gained notoriety for standing with his sign saying “Hamas is terrorist” at pro-Palestinian marches, and was attacked for waving an Israeli flag by the MEK affiliate.

Nozouri complained, “They are receiving disproportionate police tolerance, while peaceful Iranian demonstrators face restrictions.” Ghorbani has been arrested multiple times, and Tavakkolian said that eight of her friends ended up in prison, but have since been released on bail. 

“Under the command of His Majesty Reza Shah II, we aim to restore peace and tranquility not only to Iran, but to the entire Middle East,” Tavakkolian said. “We believe in the deep, longstanding friendship we have with Israel, and given our knowledge of the history and past of our own country and Israel, we have never fallen for, nor will we ever fall for, the propaganda spread by the Islamic Republic, as well as by leftist and globalist governments against Israel."