Canadian Member of Parliament Roman Baber has joined a viral protest trend against Iran's leadership. He stood in front of his office and lit a cigar using a burning photo of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The Viral Protest Movement
Baber posted a video of his act on social media with a two-word caption that simply read: 'F Khanemei'. This action follows a growing online protest movement that began with a different image.
Origin of the Trend
The trend did not actually start in Iran. It began with a photo of a woman in Canada lighting a cigarette from a burning portrait of Khamenei. Social media users quickly dubbed this woman 'Morticia Addams' due to her striking appearance.
The 25-year-old woman lives in Canada and reportedly faced arrest during the November 2019 protests in Iran. She explained her motivation for posting the photo in emotional terms.
"Every time I was on the street. This time I couldn't be. Forgive me, Mother Iran," she wrote in one social media post. She created the image as a symbolic gesture since she could not physically join the protests in Iran.
International Attention Grows
The protest image gained significant international attention after author J.K. Rowling shared a poster showing the woman lighting her cigarette from the half-burned portrait. Rowling accompanied her post with strong words about human rights.
"If you claim to support human rights yet can't bring yourself to show solidarity with those fighting for their liberty in Iran, you've revealed yourself," Rowling wrote. "You don't give a damn about people being oppressed and brutalized so long as it's being done by the enemies of your enemies."
Canada's Official Response
The Canadian government has praised the bravery of Iranian protesters while condemning the regime's actions. In a joint statement with Australia and the European Union issued on January 9, Canada expressed grave concerns.
"We strongly condemn the killing of protestors, the use of violence, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation tactics by the Iranian regime against its own people," the statement read. "Iran must immediately end the use of excessive and lethal force by its security forces including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Basij against protestors."
The statement continued with sobering statistics: "Too many lives – over 40 to date - have already been lost. The Iranian regime has the responsibility to protect its own population and must allow for the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without fear of reprisal."
Protest Toll and International Reactions
Human rights organizations report much higher casualty figures than official statements acknowledge. According to these groups, at least 599 people have been killed during two weeks of protests in Iran.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump claims Iran has proposed negotiations following his threats to strike the Islamic Republic. The crackdown on demonstrators has led to hundreds of deaths according to various reports.
Trump said late Sunday that his administration was in talks to arrange a meeting with Tehran. Iran did not immediately acknowledge Trump's comments. The country has previously warned that U.S. military and Israeli targets would become "legitimate targets" if America uses force to protect demonstrators.
The viral protest trend continues to spread across social media platforms, with more people posting similar images and videos in solidarity with Iranian protesters. The movement demonstrates how digital activism can cross international borders and capture global attention.
