Vandals shatter gravestone of symbol of Iranian protests Mahsa Amini

A glass pane on the grave of Mahsa Amini, who died after being beaten while in the custody of Tehran's "Morality Police" was shattered by vandals on Sunday, according to her family.

مژگان افتخاری مادر جاوید نام‌ #مهسا_امينی ‌ یه تنه داره مرزهای شرافت و مهین دوستی جابجا میکنه،❤️خار چشم تجزیه طلب های بی وطن و قومگراها #ملت_ایران #انقلاب_ملی_ایران https://t.co/toWZFZkqE6 pic.twitter.com/Sq1ZijQLt8

— (مُحارب) Kasra (@Kasrakarimi3) May 21, 2023

Amini's brother, Ashkan Amini, published a photo of the shattered glass on his Instagram story, writing "the glass of your tombstone also bothers them" and "break it a thousand times. We will fix it again. Let's see who gets tired."

Mojgan Eftekhari, Amini's mother, also published a photo of the vandalized grave, writing in an address to the attackers that "You only prove your dishonor with these actions."

The lawyer for Amini's family, Saleh Nikbakht, confirmed the report of the vandalism as well, stating that "people known to have done the same things in the past attacked and destroyed the grave," according to a statement published by Radio Farda.

Nikbakht added that the family has been prevented by government forces from constructing a canopy over the grave as well, with the person who was supposed to build the canopy being told his shop will be sealed if he does so.

Who is Mahsa Amini?

Amini was arrested by "morality police" officers in Tehran in mid-September last year for allegedly incorrectly wearing her hijab, with her family saying that she was beaten by the officers in the van that brought her to the police station.

At the police station, she collapsed and was brought to the hospital where she later died. Her relatives have told foreign media that they were kept largely in the dark about the situation.

Amini's death sparked large-scale protests across Iran which continued in dozens of cities for over four months, before slowing earlier this year.

In October, on the 40th day anniversary of Amini's death, thousands of Iranians visited her grave, with footage showing crowds of people walking down the highway toward the cemetery while chanting “Death to the dictator!” and singing songs written during the protests.

Protests renewed after execution of demonstrators

On Friday, three Iranians who took part in the protests in November were executed, sparking renewed protests in a number of cities throughout Iran.

At least seven Iranians who took part in the protests last year have been executed by Iranian authorities, according to opposition-affiliated media. Over 500 demonstrators were shot and killed during the protests.

Protesters gathered in Tehran, Karaj, Zahedan, Mashhad, Abdanan and Isfahan, among other locations, on Friday and Saturday. Footage reportedly from the protests shared by the 1500tasvir account and opposition-affiliated media showed protesters chanting "Death to the dictator," "We will resist until the end," "Islamic government, the killer of every Iranian" and "If we don't unite, we will be killed one by one," among other slogans.