NORFOLK, Va. — There's a growing social force in Iran, and the Old Dominion University community is hosting a candlelight vigil to honor the life of a woman whose death has sparked a massive wave of action.
From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on September 26, members of the Iranian community in Hampton Roads invite the public to come and remember the life of Mahsa Amini at Kaufman Hall.
On September 16, Amini, 22, was arrested by morality police in the northern Tehran region of Iran for wearing a hijab improperly, according to international news coverage.
She died after allegedly being hit multiple times in the head, according to her family.
Iranian police deny these claims.
Now, women across the country are protesting by burning their hijabs or cutting their hair in a statement of "No to the Islamic Republic," according to reports.
Reuters reports that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is warning protesters that "acts of chaos" are unacceptable. He also expressed that an investigation will be launched in a statement to the United Nations General Assembly last week.
"The country of Iran is under immense tragedy with ongoing unrest to defend women’s rights, human rights, and freedom," wrote Elham Alijanpour, a Ph.D. student with ODU Persia, the organizer of the vigil.
"Solidarity from professors, colleagues, classmates, people who live in Hampton Roads or mentors may sound like a small action, but the impact will go beyond words."