UK: 1 February 2023: London joins Global Body Riot in support of women’s revolution in Iran

Source: OneLawForAll - UK

Press Release,

31 January 2023

1 February 2023: London joins Global Body Riot in support of women’s revolution in Iran

2pm, Trafalgar Square

On 1 February, World Hijab Day, women will take part in a global body riot to defend the women’s revolution in Iran and for woman, life, freedom. They will take action on the streets and on social media, topless or with bras on, to challenge compulsory hijab rules that has killed Mahsa Jina Amini on 16 September and has and continues to suppress countless women and girls in Iran, Afghanistan and across the globe.

In London, women will carry out an action at 2pm in Trafalgar Square. Women who cannot join street protests will post their photos on social media, including from Iran. The slogan ‘body riot’ comes from graffiti written on walls in Iran. It also follows on from photos posted by women in Iran showing their bras with their faces hidden and key slogans such as ‘You are the pervert; I am a free woman.’ See photos here.

The #BodyRiot hashtag is already being suppressed by Instagram and Facebook, which continues to aid the Islamists in maintaining restrictions and body-shaming women and girls.

Whilst adult women have a ‘right’ to wear the hijab, on a mass social scale, the hijab is anything but a right and a choice, particularly given that it is a religious command that woman from Muslim backgrounds must follow. It is often imposed by brute force, violence, threats, shunning and intimidation, even in non-theocratic countries.

Moreover, it is important to note that World Hijab Day is part of the Islamist project to normalise restrictions on women’s bodily autonomy and has nothing to do with personal choices.

On 1 February, we rage against the hijab as a tool for restricting and policing women’s bodies. We stand in solidarity with the many women and girls in Iran removing and burning their hijabs. We celebrate the body rioting against religious and patriarchal rules and norms.

The Body Riot action is called for by One Law for All, FEMEN and Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain.

#BodyRiot for #WomanLifeFreedom. On #1Feb #HijabDay we call for #NoHijabDay #UnapologeticBodyRiot #UnapologeticBody.

For more information, please contact Maryam Namazie (maryamnamazie gmail.com, +7719166731) and Jenny Wenhammar (jennys.dreamroom gmail.com, +46 73 536 22 62)