Caroline Lucas made a speech at a city centre protest against Iran’s supreme leader.
The Green MP for Brighton Pavilion called on the country to “stop the executions, detentions and arrests”.
There have been worldwide protests against supreme leader Ali Khamenei following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was detained by the country’s morality police in September last year.
Iranians in Brighton have organised several protests across the city in the last few months, including outside the BBC’s office in Queen’s Road, outside Labour MP Peter Kyle’s office and multiple protests at Churchill Square.
Ms Lucas said at the protest: “We must do far more to support fundamental rights in Iran. Freedom of expression, of association, of peaceful assembly.
“Here in Brighton and Hove we especially say that freedom in Iran must mean freedom for the LGBTQ+ people too.
“Iran must stop the executions, stop the detentions, torture, arrests, the sham trials. We say if the people of Iran want regime, then that is democracy and that is their Iran. We stand united with our brothers and sisters in Iran. For women, for life and for freedom.”
Some 60 people attended the protest outside Churchill Square last Saturday, January 14.
One of the protesters, who did not want to be named, said: “The regime needs to know there are people across the world watching them, they can’t do what they are with political prisoners.
“We had a live performance and live music. We had someone singing too.
“We are doing it for women, life, freedom.
“We are doing it for the economy, pollution and corruption. There are several issues in the country.
“Caroline Lucas was very supportive and gave an incredible speech regarding the whole situation in Iran. She asked the British government to take more action.
“We want the British government to shut down the Iranian embassy in the UK because they do not represent Iranians.”
Protesters have faced a brutal crackdown by Iranian security forces using live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas to suppress demonstrations.
Despite this, demonstrations are ongoing.
It has quickly become one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s establishment in more than four decades.
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