The candlelight ceremony planned for Ebrahim Raisi and his companions in front of the Iranian embassy in London on Saturday was canceled due to a gathering of Iranian protesters celebrating Raisi's death.
The cancellation came just one day after Islamic Republic loyalists attacked Iranian protesters in London.
Celebrating the demise of Raisi, outside the embassy on Saturday, protestors chanted "Death to Khamenei, Curse Raisi" and displayed a balloon shaped like a helicopter, symbolizing Raisi's helicopter crash as they danced.
This demonstration was a direct response to the violence from the previous day when supporters of the Islamic Republic attacked anti-government protesters.
Following the attack on Friday, a spokesperson for the London Metropolitan Police confirmed the incident to Iran International. During the attack, four people were injured and one person was arrested, although the identity of the arrested individual had not been disclosed. The police said they are investigating the incident, reviewing videos from social media, and urging the public to provide any additional footage or information.
Eli Borhan, an opposition activist injured during the attack, stated that her mobile phone was stolen by the attackers and later accessed within the Iranian embassy in London.
Meanwhile, another protestor was hospitalized due to a serious spinal injury as a result of being attacked.
The attack sparked a wave of reactions from political activists and opposition figures. Prince Reza Pahlavi condemned the violence, noting that Iranian protesters face threats both at home and abroad. He called for the arrest and trial of those responsible for the attack.
Prominent activist Masih Alinejad criticized the British government for its negligence regarding the Islamic Republic, urging the authorities to take decisive action against such attacks.
Actress and human rights activist Nazanin Bonyadi echoed these sentiments, stressing the need for a thorough investigation by London police and for the perpetrators to be held accountable for the attack.
This attack was not an isolated incident and part of a broader issue of Islamic Republic loyalists' aggression on Iranian dissidents.
Despite the cancellation of the candlelight ceremony in London, similar events continue to occur elsewhere. The Islamic Education Center in Maryland in Michigan held a memorial service for Raisi earlier this week, claiming that it was in solidarity with the people of Iran and supporters of global peace and justice. Meanwhile, Islamic Republic loyalists who went to the ceremony threatened Iranian protestors outside the center with death.
